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Irish and Scottish linked by High King Niall of the nine hostages

By
MOLLY MULDOON,
IrishCentral.com Staff Writer
Published Tuesday, March 1, 2011, 8:16 AM
Updated Tuesday, March 1, 2011, 8:16 AM

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Illustration of Niall of the Nine Hostages
Illustration of Niall of the Nine Hostages


Read more: Meet Ireland's most prolific high king - you may be descended from him

There has always been a very special bond between the Irish and the Scottish. But now it appears that bond is closer than we ever imagined.

According to new DNA research released this week, many Scottish and Irish people are direct descendants of a 5th-century Irish king.

The first High King of Ireland, Niall Noigiallach, was a powerful ruler and so epically promiscuous that today no less than 150,000 Scots, or a full 6 per cent of the population, are genetically-related to him!

40 per cent of all men from Ulster and 20 per cent of Irishmen as a whole carry Noigiallach's gene markers.

DNA is inherited, but over time flaws develop as genetic material is passed down through the generations.

These flaws become known as markers. Nowadays researchers have found that marker 222 on the Y (male) chromosome can be traced back to the randy Irish king, who lived in the fifth century.

Doctor Jim Wilson of the University of Edinburgh told the press this week: "The only possible candidate for this fecund paternal figure is Niall Noigiallach, the first High King of Ireland who was believed to have ruled between 430 and 455 AD. According to later accounts in the 11th century, Niall beat his brothers to the crown in feats of endurance, intelligence and romance."

"When sent to obtain water from a hideous hag, his brothers retreated when she demanded a kiss, while Niall puckered up and so revealed her to be a beautiful maiden in disguise, who then granted him and his future generations the sovereignty of Ireland."

The story may be a charming myth, but the genetic code inside Scots and Irish men reveals that Noigiallach made multiple female conquests, resulting in 12 legitimate sons and many more illegitimate offspring.

It wasn't only his power, but his DNA that he speared across two nations.

Read more: Meet Ireland's most prolific high king - you may be descended from him

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13 Comments

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bets731 | Mar 07, 2011, 01:20 PM EST
this is very interesting being i am both
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CitizenWhy | Mar 05, 2011, 10:03 AM EST
Gearoid4, Dal Riada indeed would be the link. A clan of Scots (that is, Irish) went from Ulster to Scotland and then some returned to conquer part of Ulster, with the kingdom of Dal Riada straddling both western Scotland and Eastern Ulster. In the middle ages "Scot" meant Irish, and only later became confined to Scotland. Duns Scotus, for instance, means Duns the Irishman, not Duns the Scottishman.
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CitizenWhy | Mar 05, 2011, 09:57 AM EST
Why not do something on the link between the Irish and the English through Brian Boru? The UK royal family is descended from Brian Boru and the English middle class largely devolved from minor members of royalty. Many of my Irish middle class relatives in the UK are descended from Queen Victoria (by marriage, obviously), so it does not take long for minor royals to become thoroughly middle class.
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EireinAmerica | Mar 04, 2011, 09:57 AM EST
I didn't know there was anything wrong with man-sluts,...
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dunjak51 | Mar 02, 2011, 08:40 PM EST
My mother comes from a part of Glenamaddy in County Galway called "Scotland"
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Prevailer | Mar 02, 2011, 10:45 AM EST
I have taken the test for lineage and family genealogy. Perhaps the link to Nial is faux or fact by I will take the history irregardless. Knowing that this DNA group represents studies by Trinity Collge in Ireland notes that it si distintive stating that it is largely from the Northwest of Ireland where 20% of the males are linked to the Nial legacy. Nevertheless, the Scots and Irish are intertwined by history and in some locations by DNA of Nial. Yet I believe all the Irish are of some nobility in character alone. Happy Saint Patrick's Day! Nial bought himself {(St. Paddy)to Ireland when he was out having Raiding Parties} as a hostage. And the beat goes on. Slainte!
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Pittsburghkid | Mar 01, 2011, 10:26 PM EST
The operative word is "can". There is no absolute proof, this is just speculation.
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heihei101 | Mar 01, 2011, 07:50 PM EST
er in Ulster. Report abuse Posted
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Gearoid4 | Mar 01, 2011, 05:02 PM EST
Was this Irish blood transferred to Scotland by some of Niall's early descendants crossing over to the Kingdom of Dalriada(6th C-9th C)? It covered the Scottish Western Isles and the area around what is called Co Antrim in the north of Ireland? St Columba has been traditionally associated with this kingdom. He founded his famous monastery settlement on Iona which was within the boundaries of Dalriada.
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carrickcourt | Mar 01, 2011, 12:05 PM EST
The Scots and Irish connection has always been strong, let alone with the randy Niall spreading his seed. The Irish were referred to as Scots in ancient times. My paternal Scots-Canadian grandmother Maggie's family surname of Munro is supposed to be from a river in Ulster.
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cillowen | Mar 01, 2011, 10:45 AM EST
nothing new here - the saxon's brilliance caused them to split - the old divide and conquor that they've used for control. Scots patron saint of St Columba of Donegal was replaced for St Andrew who had no tie with Scotia Minor. They should have stuck with their Scotia Major's Colm Cille aka Columba who christianized them from his island of Iona base.
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cillowen | Mar 01, 2011, 10:44 AM EST
nothing new here - the saxon's brilliance caused them to split - the old divide and conquor that they've used for control. Scots patron saint of St Columba of Donegal was replaced for St Andrew who had no tie with Scotia Minor. The should have stuck with their Scotia Major's Colm Cille aka Columba who christianized them from his island of Iona base.
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slainte9 | Mar 01, 2011, 09:50 AM EST
Yes there is! Thanks to the school of Whig History, Macaulay et al, the Irish get blamed for the sins of the Scots.
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