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SHERRY DNA STUDY - A CONNECTION WITH BRÉIFNE?
A DNA study by Trinity College Dublin showed there is a significant portion of the Irish population whose pattern of DNA marker results is distinctly different from mainstream levels.
Regionally the highest concentration of this differentiated DNA profile has been seen in men with ancestry from Northwest Ireland.  
Specifically for 8 of the 43 markers tested by DNA Ancestry (shown below in the green box), the mode, or the value occurring most frequently in a set of statistical data, is different for the NW Irish group. A Single Nucleotide Polymorphism, designated as M222, defines the group scientifically.
As the Northwest region where the M222 pattern is found in the highest proportions is the homeland of the O'Neill clan, high kings of Ireland for several centuries, the Trinity scientists suggested that men showing this pattern may be descended from the clan's founder Niall of the Nine Hostages or, more broadly, from his ancestors. County Donegal was the base of power for Niall's descendants in historical times (500 AD +). Legend has it that Niall was the youngest son of a king of the province of Connacht, which encompasses five counties south of Donegal - Leitrim, Sligo, Roscommon, Mayo, and Galway.
M222 marker differences
Western European  M222
R1b modal marker mutations
14 DYS 385b 13
24 DYS 390 25
13 DYS 392 14
19 DYS 448 18 <= founder of Irish modal pattern (M222) ca. 500 AD
29 DYS 449 30
16 DYS 456 17
15 DYS 464b 16
17 DYS 464c 16
| M222 Sherry
| modal marker mutations
Sherry DNA results 11 DYS 391 10
25 DYS 447 26 <= mutations shared by all 5 Monaghan Sherrys
18 DYS 448 19
| |
` N   DYS xxi M   N   DYS xxx M  
mutation shared by Tydavnet and Donagh Sherrys mutation shared by Errigal Truagh Sherrys
| | |
| | N DYS xii M
| | mutation shared by Townland A Sherrys (?)
Test Subject G M P1 D P2
Tydavnet Donagh Errigal Truagh USA Errigal Truagh
Townland B Townland A
Mutations from Irish modal
Shared DYS 391 DYS 391 DYS 391 DYS 391 DYS 391
DYS 447 DYS 447 DYS 447 DYS 447 DYS 447
DYS 448 DYS 448 DYS 448 DYS 448 DYS 448
DYS xxi DYS xxi DYS xxx DYS xxx DYS xxx
DYS xii DYS xii
Not shared DYS xx3 DYS xx2 DYS xx1
Monaghan results
DNA tests of 5 Sherry men with ancestry in northern County Monaghan have shown results consistent with the M222 pattern.  The Sherrys' data matched 7 of the 8 M222 variant markers, the exception being DYS448. 
The DNA results showed additional mutations of Sherry men relative to the mainstream results.  The yellow box identifies 3 markers (DYS391, DYS447, DYS448) for which all 5 Sherrys tested have shown to have the same mutation. These would appear to be distinctive for the family.
The value of 10 for DYS 391has some interesting potential ramifications. About 20% of M222 results have the DYS391 value of 10, which is among the highest percentage of a variant result for any of the 43 markers.  Intriguingly, the DYS391=10 value is the dominant one for County Cavan and a majority in Monaghan and Leitrim, relative to the DYS391=11 which is more common among the broad M222 group.  Families with the M222+DYS391=10 combination include the McGoverns, (O')Reillys, Fannings/Faughnans/Fannins, Dolans, Cullivans, Coogans, etc.  Many of these clans are associated with the historical kingdom of Bréifne, whose founder was said to be descended from Brión, older brother of Niall of the Nine Hostages.   It is possible that a Sherry ancestor independently had a mutation at DYS391=10 and was not associated with these other clans, but it is also very possible that the family has Bréifne roots.  Thus far we only have results for Sherrys for the northern part of Monaghan; results from the southern part of Monaghan, closer to Cavan, that showed consistency on DYS391=10 would give greater support to the theory of an origin in Bréifne.
The mutations for Sherrys for the other 2 markers, DYS447 and DYS448, are relatively rare among M222 at fewer than 5% each of the total samples. There has not yet been enough data seen to connect them with other families.
The light blue box identifies a marker for which Sherrys with Errigal Truagh parish roots have shown to have the same mutation.
The dark blue box identifies a marker that splits the Errigal Truagh Sherrys into 2 groups.
The purple box identifies a marker mutation that men with roots from Tydavnet and Donagh parishes share (that the Errigal Truagh group do not have.)
Other M222 results
2 other Sherry/McSherry results, from families south of Monaghan, have been shown the M222 pattern, but are very different than the Monaghan group. One of them has at least 10 different marker variations relative to a Monaghan-descended man. This high level of diffferences means that the family connection likely goes very far back, potentially to the founders of the M222 group.
Non M222 results
In addition, test results have come back for a McSherry with ancestry on the Armagh/Down border, a McSharry with Leitrim ancestry, a McSherry thought to have Hodnett (County Cork) roots, and a Sherry thought to have an anglicized German name. In each case, the men's results were within the normal range of mainstream R1b results, but not the NW Irish subset. Also they were very different from each other, and none of them had any close matches with samples from publicly available databases.
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