Irish DNA Registry’s Facebook Group

by Vicki Ruthe Hahn

SGS Stateline Genealogy Sorter

April 7, 2018

Stateline Genealogy Club @ Beloit Public Library member Karen Bernard inquired about this resource that is new to me.

Irish DNA Registry’s Facebook group –
https://www.facebook.com/groups/TheIrishDNARegistry/

It is a closed Facebook support group that you have to ask to join.

The group is focused on DNA test results connected to Irish results only.

The whole purpose seems to be finding Irish cousins,

and helping genealogy searchers link to finding out more about their Irish (location) origins.

One must first have taken, and gotten results, from a DNA test.

Then upload the test results onto the free universal sharing site –

 

GEDmatch.com  (https://www.gedmatch.com/login1.php)
before joining this Facebook group.
GEDmatch offers a matching tool that may help with interpreting your DNA test results
whether you are Irish or not.

Tools for DNA and Genealogy Research
GEDmatch provides DNA and genealogical analysis tools for amateur and professional researchers and genealogists. Most tools are free, but They do provide some premium tools for users who wish to help support with contributions. One will need to upload DNA and / or genealogical (GEDCOM) data to make use of the tools there. Registration requires your name, email and a password of your choice. Click HERE to register.

You can  also upload your DNA test results to FTDNA (Family Tree), or MyHeritage for free, as this will add greatly to your contacts and hopefully your results.
You do not have to have a membership to MyHeritage.

The Irish DNA Registry’s Facebook group has enough members to get results:

Members · 5,152

Getting your DNA tested can help break through brick walls.
There is nothing to lose and so much potential for gain.

There are frequent sales at each of the DNA testing companies for about $60 for a general autosomal test.

Males can spend more, and be tested at FTDNA for their Y DNA.

Once your tests are done, and submitted to the various comparison sites (particularly

GedMatch), it is there for posterity.

Your sample at FTDNA is kept for any future developments, so there is no need to re-test.

Ideally you should have your oldest living relative/s sampled, as well as having siblings, cousins and other more distant known relatives tested.  This for comparison and elimination to narrow down most recent common ancestors (MRCAs). (This is a new term to me.
Include as complete a family ancestry tree as you can plus all
known ancestral surnames. To compare a DNA match one needs clues!

Irish peoples have emigrated all over the world.
Searching Irish ancestry seems to be especially difficult, due to the destruction of key records in Ireland.
Here are some especially helpful links to resources to help you search your Irish Ancestry:

(4-7-2018 I am sad to say that Sean E. Quinn’s “all things Irish” website IrishAncestors.net

is not longer available. It was a great resource.  I do not know what happened, and will let you know if I find out.)

(NLI) National Library of Ireland https://www.nli.ie

See MANY, many more links at The StatelineGenealogyClub.wordpress.com BLOG under the top tab
Genealogy Links and Electronic Helps and then search alphabetically DOWN  to

“Irish Ancestors, (see also Scots- Irish Ancestors)”

DNA is increasingly proving the links where paper trails fail.

Karen, thanks for letting us know about this Irish DNA Registry’s Facebook group.
I too am finding my Irish Ancestors difficult.
And thanks for reminding me about uploading my DNA results to GEDmatch.com, and FTDNA and MyHeritage.com.
One more thing that I want to do soon.