http://mctiernan.com/dnatest.htm 6-27-08

The MacTighernan DNA Test

McTernan / McTiernan / MacTiernan

With 40 tests completed, 1 in process, 1 TBR and 3 pending, the DNA sampling in this test is random currentlly from 40 MacTighernans or surname variants from around the world that at the time of testing live in nine countries on five continents with no correlation except the same surname and the same close proximity of origin in Cos Leitrim, Sligo, Roscommon and Cavan. Like most Irish families, the deep time history of the MacTighernans is all but lost.

The DNA test is perhaps the only chance to begin to make any family connections as many of the MacTighernan families like a smaller scale of the larger Irish Diaspora have scattered to distant lands in the world and live there today. The spelling of the surname does not really matter as the historical spelling never seems to match the current spelling in many of the families so the Gaelic spelling of MacTighernan is used to cover the variants of our surname.

In the 11th century two MacTighernan families were noted in Irish history as chiefs, Lord McTernan of Tullyhunco, Co Cavan and the McTernans of Co Fermanagh. Their lines may well be extent at this point in time. In recent history, at least since the famine years, most of the MacTighernans in Ireland are found in Co Sligo and Co Leitrim. The historical family origins of the majority of the DNA testers are in Co Leitrim. How we might connect to them or to each other is very difficult to prove as written records in Ireland usually only start at around the 1850s going no further back in time.

The McTernans of Co Fermanagh may have disappeared and there are no known descendants of the other two 19th century historically well known MacTighernan families from Rockfield and Tullyhunco listed below. The seat of the Tullyhunco MacTighernan family for many hundreds of years was Cruacan mic Tigearnain where The O'Rourke was inaugurated Prince of the Bréfny. It is now called Croaghan, lying six furlongs [3/4 mile] northerly of the village of Killeshandra in the barony of Tullyhunco in Co Cavan. The MacTighernan castle ruins is at this web site: http://mctiernan.com/castle.htm

Unconnected McTernan Ancestors Townland of Origin County Barony Civil parish Catholic
parish		 Dioceses P L U Probate
 District
 DNA
Group
McTernans of Rockfield
Gortgarrigan
Leitrim
Drumahaire
Cloonlogher
Drumlease
Kilmore
Manorhamilton
 Ballina
?
McTernans of Tullyhunco
Croaghan
Cavan
Tullyhunco
Killeshandra
Kildallan
Kilmore
Cavan
 Cavan
?

To date, almost all 40 tested MacTighernans that know their origins come from this small area in NW Ireland shown in green on the map on the left, 23 square miles more or less with the three exceptions, Gus and Michael (NJ) whose verbal family history states that their line is from Scotland and David (CN)'s verbal family history states that his family is from the Kilarney Lakes area of Ireland. Based on the DNA study at this point in time it appears that the origins of most MacTighernans are in Co Leitrim.

Leitrim largely escaped the Viking raids between 874 and 950 and was one of a handful of counties that escaped the 12th century Norman invasion. Subsequently, however it was one of the first to be settled by the English in the 1600s. That meant that the old Irish feudal system and traditions continued in Leitrim far longer than in other counties but then disappeared much quicker with the arrival of English settlers. The significant social, economic and political shifts that took place during the mid nineteenth century thus had their roots in the changing patterns of land ownership and society in the decades and centuries before.

In 1367 MacRaghnaill, O'Connor and MacTiernan accompanied by a troop of gallowglasses, attempted to take Moylurg in Roscommon but returned without having gained booty or consideration. Moylurg was the name of a kingdom located in the north-east of Connacht, the western province of Ireland, from c.956-1585. The Kings of Moylurg were a branch of the Sil Muiredaig, who were themselves of the Ui Briuin who descended from The Connachta.

The kingdom's first king, Maelruanaidh Mor mac Tadg, was a son of Tadg mac Cathal (King of Connacht 925-956) and brother to Conchobar mac Tadg, who succeeded as king in 967. Maelruanaidh is said to have made a deal of some nature where, in return for abandoning any claim to the provincial kingship, he would be given Moylurg. His dynasty were known as the Clan Mulrooney, and later still took the surname of MacDermot.

While Leitrim is one county, it is culturally divided into North and South Leitrim with Lough Allen being the dividing line. In South Leitrim from the mid 1500s, the clan way of life was under serious threat. An increasingly powerful English administration was slowly but surely extending its influence and dominion. In a visit to Mohill in 1540, the Saxons destroyed the monastery and beheaded the guardian and several of the friars. By 1590, the English government forces were actively routing the local clans. All MacTighernans in the DNA test from Leitrim come from the north with the exception of Ed (NJ) whose family origin is in South Leitrim.

The first major failure of the potato crop occurred in 1816 when Peel, later the Prime Minister, was Chief Secretary for Ireland. The crop failed again in 1817 causing a near famine which was accompanied by an outbreak of typhus. Serious food shortages occurred between 1822 and 1826.

It was the laboring class that would be most affected by the Great Famine as they had nothing. They existed season to season in tiny mud cabins on a patch of land that they leased under a system called "conacre". Under conacre they were given a plot for a single season in exchange for casual labor and / or rent. The Great Famine was the cause and the effect was mass immigration.

There is no way to know for certain what the total number is for distinct genetically separate MacTighernan families on a worldwide basis. At this time it would be a guess to say how many there would be worldwide. The below chart gives a reasonable approximation as to the individual MacTighernan density in Ireland and the main countries of immigration as of 2004. Many of the individuals counted in the specific country are most likely related so the numbers below are most likely higher than they should be. Those that have already completed the DNA test and their known relations are not counted in the below chart. None the less the gross totals below would be greater than what the actual total would be for any of the specific geographic areas.

As of 2004 the approximate total of individuals by country with surname spellings of
McTiernan, MacTiernan, McTernan
It is safe to say that the real total of separate MacTighernan families is less than these numbers These numbers exclude the DNA tester and their related family members if known
Ireland
 122
American population by state
 NY
 82

NJ
 26

FL
 20

MA
 18

PA
 15

CA
 15

IL
 9

CT
 7

OH
 6

VA
 6

MD
 5

GA
 3

CO
 3

WA
 3

LA
 2

one each in RI, WY, AZ, MO, KA, ME, DE
 7
American Total
 227
UK, including England, Wales, Scotland & N. Ireland
 141
Canada
 32
Australia
 43
Gross total of individuals with our surnames, testers not included
 565

Based on what I have read there are 153 distinct genetic population haplogroups in the world, with all of the tested MacTighernans falling in the R1b haplogroup as well as 70 % of all those tested at the FamilytreeDNA lab. Most of western Europe's population is also in the R1b haplogroup. Haplogroups are genetic population groups that identify where in the Y-DNA or mtDNA tree of humanity you fit in. Haplogroups are what allow us to identify how large groups of people migrated from Africa around 60,000 years ago to different parts of the world.

A recent study by Brian Mcvoy was conducted at Trinity College Dublin, Ireland, which found that a striking percent of men in Ireland (and quite a few in Scotland) share the same Y chromosome, suggesting that the 5th-century warlord known as "Niall of the Nine Hostages" may be the ancestor of one in 12 Irishmen. Niall established a dynasty of powerful chieftains that dominated the island for six centuries. The T3 Group baseline matches Niall's DNA 23 / 25 so they would descend from Niall, his uncle, his cousin or his brother. The remaining DNA groups in the MacTighernan study are not even close. Details are at this web site: http://www.familytreedna.com/matchnialltest.html

Philip O'Rorke, The O'Ruairc of Bréifne whose family were the past kings of Drumahaire in Co Leitrim has taken this DNA test. The O'Rorke DNA web site is at hhttp://www.familytreedna.com/public/roark/. Desmond O'Conor, The O'Conor Don, whose ancestors were the past high kings of all of Ireland has not yet agreed to take the DNA test. James Patrick Tiernan and soon Kevin Tiernan are the first without the prefix Mc to take the test with their info on this web site, http://mctiernan.com/tiernanDNA.htm With the tests completed so far we 40 MacTighernans fall into ten separate unrelated and different DNA groups.

Genetic diversity equals age. The more diverse genetic make up of a population in a specific area, the older it is. In all the world, Africa has the most diverse genetic makeup. Ethiopia or the Horn of Africa, has the most genetic diversity in all of Africa which is where the first humans exited to populate the rest of the world. Western Europe has the least diverse genetic population of all areas on earth. So in Africa the population moved and in western Europe they did not, genetically speaking. The Genographic project sponsored by Nationalgeographic and IBM goes into this in great detail https://www3.nationalgeographic.com/genographic/index.html Use my kit number to see the display, FWRFL845CH

40 test takers completed in the MacTighernan DNA test as of June 11, 2008
In process means the kit is at the lab, TBR means kit is to be returned,
pending means not yet decided to do the test
 		In process
at lab
TBR
 Pending
 Total
MacTighernans
 40
1
 1
 3
 45
The O'Ruairc of Bréifne
1


1
The O'Conor Don





Totals
 40
 1
 1
 1
 3
 46


The 10 separate and different MacTighernan DNA groups are labeled with the letter T. It is just a naming convention as each of the DNA groups are in all ways equal, none being more pure than the other.

The genetic and geographic spread of the 40 MacTighernan testers
  28 of the 40 know their county of origin
MacTighernan Testers County of Origin
Testers that
know their townland
of origin
Tester's country
at time of test
 Tester's
continent
 Testers
DNA
Group
 Leitrim
 Sligo
 Roscommon
 Cavan
 Scotland
 Unknown
 Total
Leitrim
 17
America North
America
 22
T
 8
1
 1
 1
 5
 16
Sligo
 3
England Europe
 7
Ta
 1



1
 2
Roscommon
 1
Ireland Europe 2
Tb
 1




1
Cavan

Canada North
America		 4
Tc




1
 1
Scotland

Australia Australia
 1
Td
 1




1
Unknown 19
Indonesia Asia 1
T3
 5
 3



8



Zimbabwe Africa 1
T3a
 1



1
 2



Iraq Asia 1
T3b



1
1



Scotland Europe 1
T3c
 1




1






T2
 4
 1


2
 7






Total
 22
 4
 1
 1
 2
 10
 40
Total
 40
9
 5
 40
TBR 1




1






in process
at lab		 1




1






There are two goals of the DNA game. The first goal is to find the center of origin [townland] for each of the ten different MacTighernan DNA groups.

Below is the guess at this point in time as to the possible centers of origin for each of the 10 different MacTighernan DNA groups
10 MacTighernan DNA Group baselines
 Possible Townland for the
Center of Origin for each DNA Group
 Total #
in each
group
 Perfect 25 / 25
matches in
their group
1
 T
Leonagh townland or Tullynacross townland, Co Leitrim or
Mount Allen townland, Co Roscommon or
Killinagh Parish, Co Cavan
 16
 7
2
 T a
 Derrinvoher townland, Co Leitrim
 2
 2
3
 T b
 Feenagh townland, Co Leitrim
 1
4
 T c
 Unknown
 1
5
 T d
 Co Leitrim
 1
6
 T 2
 Co Sligo or Corglancey townland or Drumahaire (T), Co Leitrim 7
 3
7
 T 3
 Geevagh Parish or townland of Tap both in Co Sligo or Kilcoosy, Co Leitrim
 8
 6
8
 T 3 a
 Corratawy townland, Co Leitrim
 2
 2
9
 T 3 b
 TBD or maybe Scotland ? 1
10
 T 3 c
 Tulcon townland, South Leitrim
 1
Total MacTighernan tests completed
 40
MacTighernan test in process at the lab: Cathal (117675) 1
MacTighernan test TBR = To Be Returned: Jim III (122584)  1
MacTighernan tests pending:  Mick, Gary & Kevin
3
O'Rorke test completed
 1


The ancestors of the two McTernan families from Leonagh, Rory's from Mountallen, Co Roscommon and mine from Sheskin, Co Leitrim all of whom are in the T Group are buried in the Abbey of Creevelea, Co Leitrim. Rory's earliest known ancestral home is in Mountallen Townland in Co Roscommon and has the date 1671 etched in the fire place mantle which implies the year of construction of their family home. John C. McTernan [T3a], the well known Co Sligo arthur once told me that when he was the Chief Librarian of Co Sligo, he remembered seeing historical legal documents that led him to believe that the Mount Allen / Heapstown McTernan family was related to the Leonagh, Sheskin and Rockfield McTernan families. Three of these four families are buried at the Abbey of Creevelea with the Rockfield McTernans whose male line has become extent for some time being the exception.

The second goal is to provide a guaranteed path that leads to a common MacTighernan ancestor for each tester in their specific DNA group. If you are a close genetic match with another MacTighernan in your DNA group you may have a lot of work to do to find a common ancestor but still you are on the right path.

Several of the most recent MacTighernans tested have scored a higher number of mutations than previous testers, i.e. Gus in the T3b Group & Ed (NJ) in the T3c Group and Michael (Eng) in the T2 Group. Michael (Eng) had a 3 step mutation in locus 25 which is very unusual but loci 21 - 25 mutate more frequently than others. The problem here is that the last four loci have a different way of being tested. What looks like individual mutations can and most often are repeat mutations. This poses the problem of how to score the test and then secondarily how we relate to each other. FamilytreeDNA has published a web site that is based on mutation event differences which is a combination of both differences in loci and differences in mutations.

The mutation event difference takes into account false repeats in loci 464a-d that look like mutations but aren't. Michael (Eng)'s has a 3 loci difference with a total of 5 mutations from the T2 baseline. Off the FTdna web site Michael (Eng) shows an mutation event difference of 2 to his T2 baseline not a difference of 3 loci or 5 mutations. All but one of Michael (Eng)'s mutation activity is in the last 4 loci [464a-d] which is the most confusing to score. So I have changed all our scores on how we match up and relate to each other to reflect what the FTdna lab test site says they are. However, the raw scores have not been altered, being listed exactly as they have been reported.

This indicates that the MacTighernan testers have fallen into ten unrelated, separate and distinct DNA groups. This is based on recent studies, where the FTdna lab now says that if you have a 2 mutation event difference [23/25] you still relate and the probability of a close relationship is good, however the results show mutations and therefore more time has elapsed between the common ancestor for yourself and the others that you match 23 / 25 or better. If your have a 3 mutation event difference [22/25] you probably do not relate and are outside of the closest DNA group. Both Scott (AU) and Gene are 3 event mutations off the T Group baseline. Scott (AU)'s 3 event mutations are spread over 3 different loci. Gene's on the other hand are all in one locus, locus # 1. Based on this and the lab's opinion that it is a radical mutation Gene is listed in the T Group whereas Scott (AU) is not. Scott (AU) forms his own separate DNA Group, Ta which is one of the 10 DNA groups.

Chris McTurnan's scores are off 4 from the T Group baseline which genetically puts him outside of the T Group baseline. However, Chris does match Douglas (CN) 23 / 25 which means that he and Douglas (CN) genetically relate. Douglas (CN) is in the T Group and Chris's 4 mutations are among the 12 that have the highest frequency rate. So Chris may in fact be closer to the T Group baseline than the scores suggest but that has to be better understood. Being consistent at least until more is understood, Chris will begin the ninth DNA Group called Tc.

Also, the remaining mystery in our DNA test group is if one of us is off a specific baseline by 3 or 4 mutations or rather mutation events which implies that you are in a whole separate and distinct DNA group and you do not genetically relate to that baseline or your common ancestor is well beyond 2000 years or 70 generations back in time then that leaves the question of how we all ended up with identical surnames, if surnames only began in the year 1120. A guess is that way back in time before surnames came into use there existed in or around Cos Leitrim, Roscommon, Sligo or Cavan a tribe or clan whose leader was called MacTighernan. In Gaelic, MacTighernan means "son of Lord". When surnames first started all the male warriors might have just taken the chief's name for themselves which might be a reasonable explanation or guess as to how we all ended up with ten different genetic groups from one small area of Connacht, Ireland all with the same surname.

The below grid has the raw test scores. The terms locus [loci is the plural of locus] and DYS all pretty much mean the same thing. I would just look at them as categories. DYS stands for: D = DNA, Y = Y-chromosome, S = (unique) segment. The DYS numbering scheme (e.g. DYS390, DYS394) for the Y-STR haplotype loci is controlled and administered by an international standards body called HUGO Human Gene Nomenclature Committee based at University College, London. DYS is the scientific allele number.

Each tester's scores are valid and differences are only considered mutations when contrasted to the baseline of their closest DNA group.  As an example all testers that are listed as T + 1 or T + 2 are in the T Group but show mutations off of the T Group baseline by one or two.  While the Ta, Tb & Tc testers are outside of the T Group baseline range and in their own specific group their mutations are still compared to the T Group baseline.  The T3a, T3b & T3c groups are outside the T3 Group baseline range as well and their mutations are also shown off the T3 Group baseline. All testers in the T2  Group likewise show mutations against the T2 Group baseline.

Each individual's test results are matched and compared to the baseline of their closest specific DNA group and all the other MacTighernans. Those that have a perfect match i.e. 25 / 25 in their specific DNA group become part of the baseline of their DNA group. At this time five of the ten DNA groups have only one individual. Eoghan and Jim (NJ) both in the baseline of the T3 Group match each other on the 37 market test, 36 / 37 which means they are closely related.

MacTighernan actual raw test scores & event mutations for the 10 DNA groups
Each of the groups are in a different color. Single step mutations off a baseline in the below grid are in red ( ) and 2 or 3 step mutations
are in dark blue [ ]  The testers in the left column that are the baselines for each of the individual 10 DNA groups have a light red background
Individual,
kit # &
10 Groups
loci
1
loci
2
loci
3
loci
4
loci
5
loci
6
loci
7
loci
8
loci
9
loci
10
loci
11
loci
12
loci
13
loci
14
loci
15
loci
16
loci
17
loci
18
loci
19
loci
20
loci
21
loci
22
loci
23
loci
24
loci
25
DYS
393
DYS
390
DYS
19 /
394
DYS
391
DYS
385a
DYS
385b
DYS
426
DYS
388
DYS
439
DYS
389i
DYS
392
DYS
389ii
DYS
458
DYS
459a
DYS
459b
DYS
455
DYS
454
DYS
447
DYS
437
DYS
448
DYS
449
DYS
464
a
DYS
464
b
DYS
464
c
DYS
464
d
Mark 673 T, Tony 106135 T
Martin 3713 T
Michael (CN) 3436 T
Rory 1029 T
John (ST) 49265 T
Thomas (CA) 17363 T
13
 24
14
11
11
14
12
12
12
13
13
30
17
9
9
11
11
25
15
19
29
15
15
17
17
Michael 674 T + 1
13
 24
14
11
11
14
12
12
(13)
13
13
30
17
9
9
11
11
25
15
19
29
15
15
17
17
Jim (CA) 646 T + 1
13
 24
14
11
11
14
12
12
12
13
13
30
17
9
(10)
11
11
25
15
19
29
15
15
17
17
Tom 640 T + 1
13
 24
14
11
11
14
12
12
12
13
13
30
17
9
9
11
11
(24)
15
19
29
15
15
17
17
David (CN) 49264 T + 1
& Bob (CN) 85141 T + 1
 13
 24
 14
 11
 11
 14
 12
 12
 12
 13
 13
 30
 17
 9
 9
 11
 11
 25
 15
 19
 (30) 15
 15
 17
 17
Douglas (CN)) 49264 T + 2 13
 24
 14
 11 11
 14
 12
 12
 12
 13
 13
 30
 17
 9
 9
 11
 11
 25
 15
 19
 (30)
 15
 15
 [15] 17
Michael (NJ) 85140 T + 2
13
24
14
(10)
11
14
12
12
12
13
13
30
17
9
9
11
11
25
15
19
(30)
15
15
17
17
Larry 26554 T + 2
 13
 24
 14
 11
 11
 14
 12
 12
 12
 13
 (14)
 30
 17
 9
 9
 11
 11
 25
 15
 19
 29
 15
 15
 [15]
 17
Gene 9498 T + 3
 [10]
 24
 14
 11
 11
 14
 12
 12
 12
 13
 13
 30
 17
 9
 9
 11
 11
 25
 15
 19
 29
 15
 15
 17
 17
Jim III 122584
























Cathal 117675
























Scott (AU) 639 T a  Group
& Adrian  106134 T a  Group
 13
 24
 14
 11
 11
 14
 12
 (13)
 12
 13
 13
 30
 17
 9
 9
 11
 11
 25
 15
 19
 29
 15
 15
 (16)
 (16)
John (USA) 635 T b  Group
13
 24
14
11
11
14
12
12
12
13
13
30
(18)
9
9
11
11
25
15
19
[27]
15
15
(16)
17
Chris McTurnan 31886 T c  Group
 13
 24
 14
 11
 11
 14
 12
 12
 (11)
 13
 13
 30
 17
 9
 (10)
 11
 11
 25
 15
 19
 (30) 15
 15
 [15]
 17
John Frank 117676  T d  Group
 13
 24
 14
 11
 11
 14
 12
 12
 (13)
 13
 13
 (29)
 (18)
 9
 (10)
 11
 11
 25
 15
 19
 (30)
 (14)
 (14)
 17
 17
Geoffrey 3435 T2,
Bernie 2145 T2
& Max 71428 T2
 13
 24
 14
 11
 11
 14
 12
 12
 13
 13
 13
 29
 17
 9
 10
 11
 11
 25
 14 19 31
 15
 15
 16
 19
Adam 19343 T2 + 1
 13
 24
 14
 11
 11
 14
 12
 12
 13
 13
 13
 29
 17
 9
 (9)
 11
 11
 25
 14
 19
 31
 15
 15
 16
 19
Michael (Eng) 5449 T2 + 2
 13
 24
 14
 11
 11
 14
 12