Driscoll DNA Project Corca Laidhe

The most recent common ancestor of the O'Driscoll is said to be hEidirsceoil, born about 910 A.D., a descendant of the Corca Laidhe clan. The DNA project has revealed that there are different genetic branches to the O'Driscoll family tree. In an attempt to discover the DNA type of "The O'Driscoll" the genealogy was examined looking for a lead to a living male descendant but none could be found. Comparisons were then made with other surnames also said to be Corca Laidhe. Preliminary results show that the Driscoll are unique amongst the Corca Laidhe names:

• Within I-L161-Isles-A are nearly 50% of all the Driscoll who have tested but very few of the other Corca Laidhe names are of this type.
• Within R-L21-South Irish there are many Corca Laidhe names but the modal O'Driscoll haplotype differs from modals of the other names.
• In any of the other haplogroup:clades either there are either very few Driscoll or very few of the other names
• At this time it is not possible to say which clade is that of the hereditary O'Driscoll line.

In order to progress further a Corca Laidhe DNA project and a Yahoo group on the subject have been started. It is hoped that a more comprehensive examination of the ancient genealogies coupled with participation of persons of other Corca Laidhe names will lead to identification of the ancestral haplotype of the hereditary line.

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