(O')Gallagher (12), (O')Boyle (9), (O')Doherty (5), O'Donnell (4), O'Connor (3), Cannon (3), Bradley (2), O'Reilly (2), Flynn (2), (Mc)Kee (2), Campbell (1), Devlin (1), Donnelly (1), Egan (1), Gormley (1), Hynes (1), McCaul (1), McGovern (1), McLoughlin (1), McManus (1), McMenamin (1), Molloy (1), O'Kane (1), O'Rourke (1), and Quinn (1).

These surnames may be assigned to the following clan affiliations:

According to Trinity College "about one in five males sampled in northwestern Ireland is likely a patrilineal {descendent of a single early medieval ancestor."

The following table shows the traditional descent of these families from Nial.

The following table of DNA markers has been identified (and since confirmed by SNP testing [M222+] as the Ui Neill DNA signature, also known as the Northwest Irish DNA signature. Markers in "bold" are the most important markers. A match at all or most of these important markers virtually assures one of being descended from the Ui Neill. This is referred to as the Ui Neill or NW Irish modal.

The Ui Neill or NW Irish Modal

O'Doherty of Inishowen (SZ8DF).

O'Gallagher of Londonderry(92VDK). Also Cenel Conaill.

McGovern of Leitrim (7S2NF).

In other words the Ui Neill in Ireland are simply a sub-set of a larger tribal grouping, some of whom can be found in various locations in Scotland, England, France and Germany. The implications of this are still unknown at the present. No one has yet ventured to assign a name to that larger tribal grouping. If O Rahilly is correct their origins could go back to Gaul or elsewhere in continental Europe, perhaps even Spain.

O'Rahillly's Theories

O'Rahilly's theories on the origin of Irish tribes is completely contradicted by the opinions of several leading DNA experts, including John McEwen and Ken Knordtfeldt. According to O'Rahilly ("Early Irish History and Mythology") the Ui Neill (whom he referred to as the 'northern goidels'), were the latest invaders of Ireland, arriving in Ireland from somewhere on the continent between 300 and 50 B.C. O'Rahilly's scenario includes a landing near Dublin, a settlement in the midlands of Ireland, followed by a later expansion into the west and northwest of Ireland. According to both O'Rahilly and Irish history, the three sons of Nial (Eoghan, Conal and Enna) moved into the northwest of Ireland sometime after his death (d. 405 A.D.), establishing for the first time kingdoms in what is now Donegal and Tryone. O'Rahilly believed the scanty available evidence pointed to an origin in the southeast of Gaul for the northern goidlel (i.e., Ui Neill). He did not believe the Ui Neill were native to Ireland but were fairly recent invaders in historical times.

DNA experts claim a different origin for the Ui Neill. Both the experts cited above believe the DNA originated in Ireland itself long before the time of Nial. When pressed as to why they believe this, their answer is usually something along the lines of "that's where the haplotypes are." In other words because the great majority of Ui Neill DNA samples found so far are represented by Irish surnames with lesser numbers in Scotland, England and the continent, the DNA must have originated in Ireland itself and was not brought to Ireland by late invaders as O'Rahilly stated. O'Rahilly's theories, when considered at all, are rejected out of hand as mere mythology and pseudo history. We might add that in academic circles bashing O'Rahilly's theories is all the rage at the moment. One recent archeological graduate from an Irish university commented on the GEN-DNA list that O'Rahilly's theories have been totally repudiated by the academic community. This may be a gross overexageration. While certain aspects of O'Rahilly's linguistic theories of P versus Q Celtic have come under serious attack by academics, not all his theories have been totally debunked.

One question our DNA experts generally refuse to answer is if the Ui Neill DNA originated in Ireland up to 4,000 years ago then why is it confined almost entirely to the northwest of Ireland? It hardly appears at all in southern DNA samples. One might think if it originated in Ireland as long ago as experts believe than it should be spread fairly evenly across Ireland by this time; but it's not. It's also fairly rare in the Northeast of Ulster and not predominant at all in the midlands. Many of the surnames testing Ui Neill today in Ulster were probably planted there as a result of the Plantation of Ulster ca. 1609 and later. It's almost impossible to underestimate the extent of Scottish and English plantation of Ireland by foreign colonists of the period. In some northern counties the percentage of English and Scottish settlers was over 50% of the total population in the 17th century. Even in Donegal, not as heavily planted as other northern counties, the percentage approached 35%. In Derry it was over 50%. These figures came from the 1659 census of Ireland; the essential validity of the population figures in the census have been corroborated by historians.

Many of the Ui Neill haplotypes quoted by DNA experts as "Irish" then are (probably) Scottish in origin. How many is unknown since Irish and Scottish surnames are often difficult to identify with certainty. The same surnames arose independently in both countries. Some areas of Scotland have a large percentage of Ui Neill DNA samples, especially the area running from Galloway across the southern border and even extending into the north of England. These southern, lowland areas of Scotland have a higher percentage of Ui Neill matches than the more northern coastal areas of Argyllshire, where one might expect some Ui Neill influence, given the Ui Neill monastic foundation at Iona (founded by St. Columcille of the Cenel Conail) and pedigrees linking certain Argyllshire families to the stem of the Ui Neill. There are relatively few Ui Neill DNA samples to be found in the highlands of Scotland or the northern portions.

In addition, we never find any major clan in Scotland composed primarily of Ui Neill DNA matches. The DNA is spread randomly across different surnames in different areas. The Campbells have a few Ui Neill DNA amongst their members, as do the MacDonalds and Kennedys. The MacKenzies have a few as do the Robertsons. But in each case the majority of Scottish clan members do not match the Ui Neill modal. It appears as if the Ui Neill in Scotland and England were the scattered remnants of some tribe long established in both areas and not fairly recent immigrants in historical times.

Others claim the Ui Neill DNA somehow came to Scotland with the founding of the Dal Riata in Scotland. But the Irish Dal Riata were not Ui Neill - O'Rahilly informs us they were according to the pedigrees Erainn or Belgae - a different tribe entirely. And this difference in DNA is supported by the available evidence - the Scottish clans are not majority Ui Neill by a longshot. This DNA is almost invisible in the major Scottish clans said to descend from the Irish Dal Riata.

At this time there is no real answer to the presence of Ui Neill DNA in Scotland and England (and even worse, in France, Germany, Denmark and Sweden). Perhaps as the experts claim it originated in Ireland and over the centuries trickled across into England and Scotland and from there to the continent. It's hard though to imagine a proper Englishman named Blanchard being descended from the Ui Neill in Ireland - unless the common descent was thousands of years ago, long before the historical period. It's even more difficult to imagine Germans with the surname of Brune or a Frenchman named Lamineck being descended from the Ui Neill of Ireland or even any of their Irish predecessors. When this topic is broached in DNA circles the chatter inevitably turns to wandering Ui Neill monks, Wild Geese or other Irishmen abroad.

But O'Rahilly might have the last laugh after all. Perhaps the Ui Neill DNA originated (as he said) on the continent and the tribe migrated westward into Scotland. From there a scattered few migrated into England and others went to Ireland where they became a spectacularly successfull Irish dynasty centered in the northwest of Ireland. In Scotland the scattered remnants of the tribe might even have been part of the Cruithin or Picts. The "where the haplotypes are" argument does not seem to hold much water, especially given the dearth of DNA testing on the continent where France in particular is a great black hole of DNA testing. . The overwhelming majority of those being DNA tested are from the British Isles on all commercial databases. Perhaps as time goes by more remnants of the Ui Neill DNA will be found on the continent. Until then we can only guess at who is right - the DNA experts or O'Rahilly. .

The Maclachlans of Scotland are another sept linked by pedigree to the Ui Neill. One McLaughlin from Scotland matches the Ui Neill modal - but we do not have enough DNA examples from Scottish McLaughlins to determine if this is the norm for this Scottish clan.

The first two Sweeneys listed from Limerick and Cork may be Ui Neill. The other two are not.

For more O'Neill listings see: O'Neill Web Site
For more McLaughlin listings see: McLaughlin DNA

Legend aside, few serious historians have believed the tale of the Three Collas was historical. O Rahilly (Early Irish History and Mythology) stated the tale was a fabrication, designed to provide mercenary tribes who assisted the Ui Neill in their conquest of the north of Ireland with a suitable pedigree. Based on DNA it now appears O Rahilly was right. The Maguires of Fermanagh, perhaps the best known Airgialla clan in descent from Colla da crioch, do not match the Ui Neill modal. Nor do the McMahons of Monaghan. In fact neither sept matches the other in DNA.