Watch a video of a lecture presented at Genetic Genealogy Ireland conference to learn more about research by the O'Neill DNA Group: here. Slane Abbey: built on the hill where St Patrick is said to have lit the fire that convinced High King Laoghaire, Niall's son and successor, to agree to the preaching of Christianity. Throughout the 1600 and 1700s, thousands of Irish men of fighting age would migrate to Europe as 'Soldiers for Hire' to fight in various wars. We've all technically got "common ancestor" with Niall because we've all got a common paternal ancestor. As the Celtic language in Ireland transformed into Irish between AD 400500, Venii became Fni, and were also known to have called themselves Gadhil (from Common Celtic *wdelos, Brythonic gwddel, Goidelic *wdus to Old Irish Godelmeaning savage woodsman, wild, raider). stories say that the future St Patrick was among hostages taken from one such distinguish one line of DNA from another. Niall releases Fiachrae, who becomes king of Connacht and Niall's right hand man. One of I confirm that, as stated in this site's Privacy Policy, I do not sell personal information. [14], Early in 2006, geneticists at Trinity College, Dublin suggested that Niall may have been the most fecund male in Irish history. Keating, quoting a Latin Life of Saint Patrick, says that Niall led Irish raids on Roman Britain, and in one of those raids Patrick and his sisters were abducted. According to one version of the story, Niall took hostages from the five provinces of Ireland (Ulster, Connacht, Leinster, Munster, and Meath), from the Scots, the Saxons, the Britons, and the Franks. My father was born in Hungary, how common is this haplogroup for those with eastern european ancestry? [3] The later Annals of the Four Masters dates his reign to 379-405,[4] and the chronology of Geoffrey Keating's Foras Feasa ar irinn to 368395. Katharine Simms, and Daniel G. Bradley, published in The American Journal of Human Genetics, volume 78, number 2, February 2006 (electronically published December 8, 2005. Niall Nogallach (Old Irish "having nine hostages") (pronounced [ni%CB%90%CB%88%C9%99l nojilax])[1], or in English, Niall of the Nine Hostages, son of Eochaid Mugmedn, was an Irish king, the eponymous ancestor of the U Nill kindred who dominated Ireland from the 6th century to the 10th century. ), told me that Im a sub-type of a lineage called H6a (specifically H6a1b). Editors note: This post has been edited to reflect changes to the 23andMe ancestry product. Crimthann refuses to drink it unless she does too; they both drink, and both die. The rise of the U Nill dynasties and their conquests in Ulster and Leinster are not reliably recorded but have been the subject of considerable study and attempts to reconstruct them. Niall Nogallach (pronounced[nil noilx]; Old Irish "having nine hostages"),[1] or Niall of the Nine Hostages, was a legendary, semi-historical Irish king who was the ancestor of the U Nill dynasties that dominated Ireland from the 6th to the 10th centuries. Ireland's five ancient provinces (Connaught, Munster, Leinster, Ulster and There are claims that Cormac mac Art, a leading figure in the Fionn cycle, established a sumptuous court at Tara and a lavish festival was also regularly celebrated at Samhain, on 1 November. County Mayo folks have Viking blood as well as that of Niall of the Hostages. Niall of the Nine Hostages. Then Niall makes war against Leinster, and peace is concluded on the condition that Eochaid is handed over. Abruptly, the tale then has Niall appearing before an assembly of Pictish bards in Scotland, where he is killed by an arrow shot by Eochaid from the other side of the valley. The geneticists estimated that about 23 million men bear this haplotype. The mighty warrior king Niall Nogallach dominates the twilight world between history and legend. [7], Although it is anachronistic for Niall's mother to have been a Saxon, O'Rahilly argues that the name Cairenn is derived from the Latin name Carina, and that it is plausible that she might have been a Romano-Briton. After obtaining obedience from the Picts, his next foreign raid was into Britain. If you are an exact match, your profile in FTDNA will have a green graphic that states your DNA is an exact match to Niall. Perhaps more myth than man, Niall of the Nine Hostages is said to have been a King of Tara in northwestern Ireland in the late 4th century C.E. Although generally supposed to be a historical personage, very little can confidently be said of Niall's life. Niall of the Nine Hostages , or Niall Nigiallach, was the youngest son of Eochaidh Mugmedon (King of Connacht). Patricus later came to be known as St. Patrick. Niall reigned for twenty-seven years before being killed by the arrow of a rival, Eochaida, the deposed king of Leinster. became High King. Niall, xenophon agesilaus summary; By accepting all cookies, you agree to our use of cookies to deliver and maintain our services and site, improve the quality of Reddit, personalize Reddit content and advertising, and measure the effectiveness of advertising. The little Irish (Scotic) colony in that part of Alba just opposite to Antrim had gradually been growing in numbers, strength, and prestige - until they excited the jealousy and enmity of the Picts, who tried to crush them. Hughes says "Niall himself must have died not before the middle of the fifth century". M222 signature to the mid-5th century when Niall of the Nine Hostages may There is nothing weird about someone with 0.00% measurable Irish ethnicity being one of his descendants. Emain Macha, the capital of the Uliada, which Niall captured early on, became the capital of the Airgialla (lit: "givers of hostages") which is said to explain Niall's second name (Noigiallach = "of the Nine Hostages"). The High Kingship did not become a reality until the 9th century, and Niall's status has been inflated in line with the political importance of the dynasty he founded. SidmartinBio", "The Adventures of the Sons of Eochaid Mugmedon", "The Death of Niall of the Nine Hostages", "Show Somerled People | Clan Donald USA, Inc", The genetic imprint of Niall of the Nine Hostages, "If Irish Claim Nobility, Science May Approve", National Center for Biotechnology Information, A Social History of Ancient Ireland, Vol. Moore et al. [3] Laidchenn responds by satirising Leinster so that no corn, grass or leaves grow there for a year. [4] A poem by the 11th century poet Cined Ua Hartacin in the Book of Leinster credits Niall with seven raids on Britain, on the last of which he was killed by Eochaid "above the surf of the Ictian Sea";[4][12] a poem attributed to the same poet in Lebor na hUidre credits him with going to the Alps seven times. Niall chains Eochaid to a standing stone, and sends nine warriors to execute him, but Eochaid breaks his chain and kills all nine of them with it. Mong Fionn was a bitter, jealous and ambitious woman, who set her heart upon having her son, Brian, succeed his father as Ard Righ. In fact, researchers have estimated that between 2 and 3 million men with roots in north-west Ireland are paternal-line descendants of Niall.". Receive the latest from your DNA community. [3] These sons are the eponymous ancestors of the various U Nill dynasties: Egan of the Cenl nEgain and Conall Gulban of the Cenl Conaill, making up the northern U Nill; Fiachu of the Cenl Fiachach dynasty, Legaire (the king who Saint Patrick is said to have converted) of the Cenl Legaire, Maine of the U Maine, Egan of the Cenl nEgain, Conall Gulban of the Cenl Conaill, Conall Cremthainne of the Clann Cholmin and the Sl nedo Sline, and Coirpre of the Cenl Coirpri, making up the southern U Nill. predominant, while the M222 pattern is found in 8.2% or one man in twelve. least 12 sons. McManus, Molloy, Reilly, Rourke and Quinn. The rise of the U Nill dynasties and their conquests in Ulster and Leinster are not reliably recorded but have been the subject of considerable study and attempts to reconstruct them. According to legend, Niall was a warrior Even if you were alive at the same time as Niall, your common paternal ancestor still would have been thousands of years back. Although these studies are not coordinated with each other and are ongoing, it is already apparent that not all of these lineages are related to each other within Niall's timeframe. More info: https://www.familytreedna.com/landing/matching-niall.aspx. The saga "The Death of Niall of the Nine Hostages" says that he received five hostages from the five provinces of Ireland (Ulster, Connacht, Leinster, Munster and Meath), and one each from Scotland, the Saxons, the Britons and the Franks. His body is said to have been buried at Ochann, now known as Faughan Hill at Jordanstown, a few miles west of Navan in County Meath. Brin defeats Fiachrae and hands him over as a prisoner to Niall, but Fiachrae's son Nath continues the war and eventually kills Brin. A study conducted at Trinity College, Dublin, found that a striking percentage of men in Ireland (and quite a few in Scotland) share the same Y chromosome. You might consider getting a Y-DNA test to see if you can learn more. Crypto He then kills Laidchenn by throwing a stone which lodges in his forehead. They defeat him and win great spoil, but Fiachrae is wounded in the battle and dies of his wounds shortly afterwards. [4], [edit]L egendary biography[edit ]Early life, Although it is anachronistic for Niall's mother to have been a Saxon, O'Rahilly argues that the name Cairenn is derived from the Latin name Carina, and that it is plausible that she might have been a Romano-Briton. Celtic blood is in Ireland,Uk,France and Spain. [5] O'Rahilly suggests that the nine hostages were from the kingdom of the Airgialla (literally "hostage-givers"), a satellite state founded by the Ui Nill's conquests in Ulster, noting that the early Irish legal text Lebor na gCeart ("The Book of Rights") says that the only duty of the Airgialla to the King of Ireland was to give him nine hostages. Mongfind, purporting to make peace between her brother and her sons, holds a feast, at which she serves Crimthann a poisoned drink. [10] He is succeeded by his nephew Nath . Byrne suggests that Niall's death took place during a raid on Roman Britain. Niall of the Nine Hostages received his name from the taking of hostages as a strategy for playing mental havoc upon his opponent chieftains. [8 ], In another story, the succession is not settled when Eochaid dies, and Mongfind's brother Crimthann takes the high kingship. The High Kingship did not become a reality until the 9th century, and Niall's legendary status has been inflated in line with the political importance of the dynasty he founded. A son of Niall, who succeeded his father at Tara circa 427-430, welcomed St. Patrick to his court in 432. The same area of Ireland has previously been the subject of anthropological studyand has shown a strikingly high percentage of men from Haplogroup R1b (98%) versus 90% in southeast Ireland. Categories . The signature is especially [4]:81 T. F. O'Rahilly argues that Niall and his sons were responsible for the breakup of the ancient kingdom of Ulster and the creation of the kingdoms of Tr Chonaill and Tr Egan, and the satellite kingdom of the Airgalla. By rejecting non-essential cookies, Reddit may still use certain cookies to ensure the proper functionality of our platform. The Annals of Inisfallen date his death before 382, and the Chronicon Scotorum to 411. She grants Niall not only water but her name, Alexi, and the kingship for many generations twenty-six of his descendants will be High Kings of Ireland. the brothers, Fergus, goes off to look for water and comes upon an ugly hag. What is a paternal line? These raids did much to weaken the power of Rome in Britain and France. Keating, quoting a Latin Life of Saint Patrick, says that Niall led Irish raids on Roman Britain, and in one of those raids Patrick and his sisters were abducted. Irish tradition had forgotten that the Romans once ruled Britain, and relocated his remembered confrontations with the Empire to continental Europe, with Alba, the ancient name for Britain, being confused with Elpa, the Alps, or being understood with its later meaning of Scotland. When he had reached budding manhood, Torna brought him back to court to take his rightful place - much to his father's joy. ), "The Story of Eochaidh Muighmedin's Sons", in, Stokes, Whitley (ed. repulsive, with green teeth and nails, matted unkempt hair, a decidedly crooked (Princess Of Britain ROIGHNEACH was born about 380. See related article at Florida Irish Heritage Center. 1 Reply Ziff-A-Dee-Dew-Law 4 yr. ago niall of the nine hostages 23andme. passed from father to son. 4) [S10166] "Possible parents of Naill by Brian Tompsett 23 November 1997". hunting with his four brothers. Niall Nogallach (Irish pronunciation: [%CB%88ni%CB%90%C9%99l noilx], Old Irish "having nine hostages"),[1] or in English, Niall of the Nine Hostages, was a prehistoric Irish king, the ancestor of the U Nill family that dominated Ireland from the 6th to the 10th century. [15 ], There are various versions of how Niall gained his epithet Nogallach. She gives birth as she is drawing water, but out of fear of Mongfind, she leaves the child on the ground, exposed to the birds. The center of his government was at Tara. A dated phylogenetic tree of M222 SNP haplotypes: exploring the DNA of Irish and Scottish surnames and possible ties to Niall and the U Nill kindred, Last edited on 17 February 2023, at 06:56, Learn how and when to remove this template message, The Wedding of Sir Gawain and Dame Ragnelle, "Was Niall of the Nine Hostages a real person? children, from wives or concubines, were acknowledged. Niall chains Eochaid to a standing stone, and sends nine warriors to execute him, but Eochaid breaks his chain and kills all nine of them with it. The story [3] The later Annals of the Four Masters dates his reign to 379-405, [4] and the chronology . One of them, Patrick, was the sixteen-year old son of a British Roman official. Niall Nogallach (Old Irish for "having nine hostages"), or in English, Niall of the Nine Hostages, was a prehistoric Irish king, the ancestor of the U Nill dynasties that dominated the northern half of Ireland from the 6th to the 10th century. Fiachrae is granted a minor royal line two of his descendants, Nath and Ailill Molt, will be High Kings. [8] Death, The Lebor Gabla renn says there was war between Niall and nnae Cennsalach, king of Leinster, over the brama or cow-tribute first imposed on Leinster by Tuathal Techtmar. [3] A poem by the 11th-century poet Cined Ua hArtacin in the Book of Leinster credits Niall with seven raids on Britain, on the last of which he was killed by Eochaid "above the surf of the Ictian Sea";[3][16] a poem attributed to the same poet in Lebor na hUidre credits him with going to the Alps seven times.[7]. All but two of the High Kings of Tara came from this family. According to McVoy this area was the main powerbase of the Ui Neill kings, which literally translated means "descendants of Niall". There was also an Irish Regiment in Sicily in the early 1700s. did not specifically state that Niall was the progenitor of M222, journalists quickly jumped to that conclusion. [ 11] Keating says that he received five from the five provinces of Ireland, and four from Scotland. [6], Early in 2006, geneticists at Trinity College, Dublin suggested that Niall may have been the most fecund male in Irish history. Niall was said to have ruled over Tara, but modern historians think it more likely that Tara was founded by Niall's decendents, and that Niall himself actually set up his kingdom at Uisnech, another "royal hill". Irelands most popular baby names of 2022 - by county! The Munstermen renew the battle, capture Ailill and cut him to pieces, and war continues between Munster and Connacht for many years. [6] Family and descendants, Keating credits Niall with two wives: Inne, daughter of Lugaid, who bore him one son, Fiachu; and Rignach, who bore him seven sons, Legaire, ndae, Maine, Egan, Conall Gulban, Conall Cremthainne and Coirpre. 279. r/23andme. However, I belong to the R-L20 haplogroup, which is more common in continental Europe, and not Ireland where R-L21 is dominant. Each brother in turn goes looking for water, and finds a well guarded by a hideous hag who demands a kiss in return for water. While the signature is typical for R1b European males in general, it is characterized by 11,13 at DYS 385a/b and 14 at DYS 392. Although its remarkable that nearly 1 in 10 Americans might say Kiss Me Im Irish! on St. Patricks day, its not clear if all these people actually have Irish ancestors or if they simply feel an affinity for corned beef and green beer. All sources agree he died outside Ireland. The sept stronghold was at Durna Shelca, near (Carnfree) in County Roscommon. He gave rise to the powerful and widespread O'Neil (Ui Neill) dynasty of . 222-232 O'Rahilly and Byrne argue that the literary sources, though late and garbled, preserve genuine traditions that Niall led raids on Britain, and perhaps died on one.[2]:pp. Fiachrae is granted a minor royal linetwo of his descendants, Nath and Ailill Molt, will be High Kings. [2] Famous descendants include Niall's great-great grandson Saint Columba, Saint Mel Ruba, the Kings of Ailech, the Kings of Tir Eogain, and the Kings of Tr Conaill. Are you familiar with the Irish 'Wild Geese'? control of all the island. Not sure how to get the raw data file form 23andMe though? Autosomal DNA, which is what we use to measure percentages of ethnicity, only has strong relevance for about 6-10 generations back. ), (Niall Noigiallach MacEchach, aka Nial Mor Naoighiallach of the Nine Hostages', conquered nine countries (incl. 452. Press question mark to learn the rest of the keyboard shortcuts McEvoy states: "As in other polygynous societies, the siring of offspring was related to power and prestige." His body is said to have been buried at Ochann, now known as Faughan Hill in County Meath. [12], In another story, the succession is not settled when Eochaid dies, and Mongfind's brother Crimthann takes the high kingship. According to National Geographic, the Mayo County Council hosted the Genographic Project for the Gathering under the theme of diaspora and cultural exchange. This "loathly lady" motif appears in myth and folklore throughout the world. Niall Nogallach (Irish pronunciation: [%CB%88ni%CB%90%C9%99l noilx], Old Irish "having nine hostages") [1], or in English, Niall of the Nine Hostages, son of Eochaid Mugmedn, was an Irish king, theeponymous ancestor of the U Nill kindred who dominated Ireland from the 6th century to the 10th century. [4 ] A poem by the 11th century poet Cined Ua Hartacin in the Book of Leinster credits Niall with seven raids on Britain, on the last of which he was killed by Eochaid "above the surf of the Ictian Sea";[4 ][1 2] a poem attributed to the same poet in Lebor na hUidre credits him with going to the Alps seven times. Or is it just bs from 23andMe? Mongfind refuses to accept the decision. That slave would later escape and go to become Ireland's patron. Crimthann refuses to drink it unless she does too; they both drink, and both die. Reddit and its partners use cookies and similar technologies to provide you with a better experience. [2] A poem by the 11th-century poet Cined Ua Hartacin in the Book of Leinster credits Niall with seven raids on Britain, on the last of which he was killed by Eochaid "above the surf of the Ictian Sea";[2][13] a poem attributed to the same poet in Lebor na hUidre credits him with going to the Alps seven times. have been High King of Ireland. [2] He was himself the grandson of King Conn of the Hundred Battles. Journal reference: American Journal of Human Genetics (February issue). Here, according to tradition, elaborate rites were carried out between the future high king of Tara and the goddess of sovereignty. 5) [S10138] "High Kings of Ireland e-mail address". She gives birth as she is drawing water, but out of fear of Mongfind, she leaves the child on the ground, exposed to the birds. The rise of the U Nill dynasties and their conquests in Ulster and Leinsterare not reliably recorded but have been the subject of considerable study and attempts to reconstruct them. A second, and probably less reliable, story is that Niall took a hostage from each of Ireland's five ancient provinces (Connaught, Munster, Leinster, Ulster and Meath) and also captured a Briton, a Gaul, a Saxon and a Scot. Donnelly, Egan, Flynn, Gallagher, Gormley, Hynes, Kane, McGovern, McLoughlin, Then Niall makes war against Leinster, and peace is concluded on the condition that Eochaid is handed over. and McLaughlin, J.D., 2011. Cookie Notice Medb, for example, was said to have participated in a ritual union with nine of the high kings, preventing the rule of any candidates who refused to mate with her. Cookie Notice His mother appears to have had much influence over his elderly father which helped Niall gain supremacy over his elder half brothers from Connacht. There is a large community of M222 men and a very interesting "family tree" of sorts is emerging as these men get into Y-DNA testing. 3 days ago. [5] The later Annals of the Four Masters dates his reign to 379405,[6] and the chronology of Geoffrey Keating's Foras Feasa ar irinn to 368395. Niall moved across the Shannon where he founded the dynasty of Uisnech in Westmeath. [7]:222232 O'Rahilly and Byrne argue that the literary sources, though late and garbled, preserve genuine traditions that Niall led raids on Britain, and perhaps died on one. historical reality of Niall of the Nine Hostages wasn't proved before the The baby is rescued and brought up by a poet called Torna. Variations of this story are told of the earlier Irish high king Lugaid Logde, in Arthurian legendone of the most famous versions appears in both Geoffrey Chaucer's The Wife of Bath's Tale and the related Gawain romance, The Wedding of Sir Gawain and Dame Ragnelleand in John Gower's Middle English poem Confessio Amantis. Occasional an unknown number of generations from Conn Cadcathlach aka Conn of the Hundred [3 ] However, the traditional roll of kings and its chronology is now recognised as artificial. A recent source shows this Angus as the father of Foghan Owen (also named by that source as Eochaid) Whilest many sources sho the decent through Niall "of the 9 Hostages"? Some of (21%). November 25, 2016. The southern Venii came to be known as the Eoghanacht, while another group of them migrated north and formed a new kingdom west of the River Shannon where they became known as the Connachta after a revered leader named Conn. Muireann herself occurs in the annals, as in a poem quoted in AT s.a. 649, and her great-grandfather.Aed is mentioned again in a separate entry in the Ban Shenchus.. 3) [S10139] "Irish Pedigrees by John O'Hart , part 1, chapter IV". in hand with natural suitability for kinship) dates back to at least the 11th The findings of the study showed that within the north-west of Ireland as many as 21% of men (8% in the general male population) were concluded to have a common male-line ancestor who lived roughly 1,700 years ago. Three of his sons founded kingdoms in Ulster (collectively the Northern Ui Neill), other sons founded kingdom in the Irish midlands (the Southern Ui Neill). He conquered the Uliad aristocracy, which ruled in Ulster, and by this victory and subsequent consolidation of power was able to found a dynasty, the Ui Neill, which gave rise to the O'Neill clan. Irish Mythology https://bit.ly/irish_myth_online_courseBrehon Law https://bit.ly/brehon_law_online_courseEarly Irish Culture and Society https://bit.ly/cultu. Joined then by the Irish in Alba, he marched against the Picts, overcame them, took hostages from them and had Argyle and Cantire settled upon the Albanach Irish. In time, the status of King of Tara came to denote High King of Ireland, the The Munstermen renew the battle, capture Ailill and cut him to pieces, and war continues between Munster and Connacht for many years. 1 / 5. The saga "The Death of Niall of the Nine Hostages" says that he received five hostages from the five provinces of Ireland (Ulster, Connacht, Leinster, Munster and Meath), and one each from Scotland, the Saxons, the Britons and the Franks. By the 8th century, the Ui Nills held power in the north west where they were known as the Northern Ui Nill, and also in the Midlands where they are known as the Southern Ui Nill. [5] Laidchenn responds by satirising Leinster so that no corn, grass or leaves grow there for a year. When Niall grows up he returns to Tara and rescues his mother from her labour. There is nothing weird about someone with 0.00% measurable Irish ethnicity being one of his descendants. 23andMe will give you the basic results for Ydna but . "One of the greatest high kings was Niall of the Nine Hostages, whose reign began in AD 379. As the number of hostages was nine, Niall earned the epithet 'of the Nine Hostages'. For it is said his was the host referred to by the Roman poet, Claudian, when in praising the Roman general, Stilicho, he says Britain was protected by this bold general. A subreddit about all things genealogy provided it's not about living people. [2]:81, T. F. O'Rahilly argues that Niall and his sons were responsible for the breakup of the ancient kingdom of Ulster and the creation of the kingdoms of Tir Conaill and Tir Egan, and the satellite kingdom of the Airgalla.[6]:pp. The common ancestor that you and Niall have wasn't necessarily from Ireland. Niall of the Nine Hostages , or Niall Nigiallach, was the youngest son of Eochaidh Mugmedon (King of Connacht). chase overdraft fee policy 24 hours; christingle orange cloves; northeast tennessee regional fire training academy; is srco3 soluble in water; basic science topics for nursery 2; bellflower property management; gifts from the holy land bethlehem; Crimthann refuses to drink it unless she does too; they both drink, and both die. For instance, the chiefs of Clan Donald are now known to belong to a branch of Haplogroup R1a, which split from Niall's hypothetical lineage over 20,000 years ago. [5], Although it is anachronistic for Niall's mother to have been a Saxon, O'Rahilly argues that the name Cairenn is derived from the Latin name Carina, and that it is plausible that she might have been a Romano-Briton. The descendants of Niall Nioghialloch (Neil of the nine hostages) King of Tara ca 405 (some scholars suggest he was still alive a generation later c435, some even suggested he lived to 462. Under him the spirit of pagan Ireland upleaped in its last great red flame of military glory, a flame that, in another generation, was to be superseded by a great white flame, far less fierce but far more powerful and the bounds of neighboring nations to the uttermost bounds of Europe. His men carry his body home, fighting seven battles on the way, and his foster-father Torna dies of grief. Howard, W.E. 100% Irish? only water for refreshment but also kingship and a great dynasty. The Family Tree Irish Genealogy Guide paperback. absence of a DNA sample direct from the man himself, Trinity's team of prefix): Neill, men who can trace their ancestry to Ireland, and especially the north of Irish annalistic and chronicle sources place his reign in the late 4th and early 5th centuries, although modern scholars, through critical study of the annals, date him about half a century later. Ireland, carry a specific Y-DNA pattern called the M222 sub-clade. 15 ratings6 reviews. Distant view of Round Tower at Glendalough He was one of the greatest of the High Kings of Ireland in prehistoric days, but one of the least known to modern historians. A DNA test can show if a man is related to Niall: A recent study conducted at Trinity College Dublin, Ireland, found that a striking percentage 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. He makes war and destroys the poet's stronghold, killing his son Leat[11] (Keating has it that Laidchenn was a druid, and that Eochaid killed his son after he used defamatory language towards him). Geni requires JavaScript! We would expect to find a large concentration of Niall's descendants there, as the Southern U Nill were dominant in that region, but we do not. the right to found a royal line elsewhere in Ireland. history of Ireland In Ireland: Early political history The little Irish (Scotic) colony in that part of Alba just opposite to Antrim had gradually been growing in numbers, strength, and prestigeuntil they excited the jealousy and enmity of the Picts, who tried to crush them. No, if he's M222, his paternal line almost certainly came to Italy from Ireland and/or Britain. His men carry his body home, fighting seven battles on the way, and his foster-father Torna dies of grief. Variations of this story are told of the earlier Irish High King Lugaid Laigde, in Arthurian legend one of the most famous versions appears in both Geoffrey Chaucer's The Wife of Bath's Tale and the related Gawain romance, The Wedding of Sir Gawain and Dame Ragnell and in John Gower's Middle English poem Confessio Amantis.