Anyone who has done or is interesting in doing a DNA test is invited to come along to the Galway Genetic Genealogy Conference in Abbeyknockmoy Community Hall on Saturday May 2nd from 11am until 4pm.
An interesting and informative series of talks by local experts will help to show how using genetic genealogy, records plus DNA, can deepen an understanding of a family’s history and connections.
10 years ago a group of TY students in Coláiste Mhuire Ballygar were invited to have a parent or adult sibling test using a kit generously donated by the leading DNA testing site ancestry.com and as a result a deep interest in genetic genealogy was sown in the area which has a ripple effect throughout the county.
In May 2020, two locals, Midie Corcoran and Martin Curley, with a deep interest not just in their own families but in their wider community, set up the East Galway Genealogy & DNA group on FB and it quickly established itself as a go to site for those interested in finding out about their known and unknown connections to the area.
The group, now 11,500 strong, has been generous and insightful in helping many, especially in the diaspora and with unknown family roots, to be connected with family and their local history. Initiatives such as the East Galway Black 47 DNA project where members raised funds to purchase DNA kits for locals with deep roots in the area increased the genetic pool available and helped many find their own roots after years and sometimes generations of searching. 2 successful zoom conferences were organised with speakers joining in from 5 countries to share stories of East Galway Emigrants and Exiles.
Due to the effects of Covid face to face meetings were limited but it was felt that it was time to reach out and have a gathering of interested people to share and compare their stories and hopefully assist in answering queries and questions that people have encountered in their family history.
The day’s speakers include Eileen Faherty Davis, Diaspora Development Officer at Carna Emigrant Centre, Patrick Glennon Admin The Tribes of Ui Maine Project, Midie Corcoran founding member and artistic director of Earwig! Arts; a Tuam community arts group, and an expert in all things Corcoran & Farrell in Tuam, Peter Leonard who is using YDNA to research the older origins of the Leonard surname from east Galway and Martin Curley who works with schools, community groups and individuals on family and local history projects.
The day promises something for everyone and hopefully if weather permits will end with a short tour of sites of interest including the Famine Memorial in the local church recording the names of those who died in 1847 and 1848 – years which mark for many, the long goodbye, as generation after generation left to seek a better life for them and their families.
The day will begin with a short introduction to the 1926 Census just made available and followed by a presentation on the ‘Leonard Families of Galway, YDNA Research’ where Peter will discuss the origin, methodology and success stories of his research.
Patrick’s presentation on ‘The Early Tribes of Connaught (and the surnames that emerged from them)’ will give an overview of the early tribes of Connaught, their territories and surname lineages.
Recent work on the Lohan name shared by researcher David Lohan who upgraded his test at Patrick’s urging peeled back the veil of time on the O Leochain (Lohan) name with information that spans more than 1200 years. The test showed another person with the Logan derivative surname and David are indeed distantly related, with a common male ancestor born around 1186 AD. This date is very close to the dawn of the surname era and toward the end of the 12th century when the Ua Leochain are believed to have fled to Connaught from Gailenga territory in northern Meath and south-east Cavan.
Pushing further back in time to explore more distant relatives, the lineage connects to the Reynolds and Farrell families of Conmhaicne Réin, with a shared ancestor estimated around 773 AD. These groups occupied neighbouring territories in early medieval Ireland, and the genetic evidence aligns with known historical geography.
Patrick’s talk will highlight several families associated with the area and the links uncovered.
Eileen Faherty Davis will share her work at the Carna Emigration Centre and how DNA has been helpful with returned emigrants as well in the local community.
Midie Corcoran’s talk ‘Where there’s a Farrell, there’s a mill’ offers a concise overview of the origins of the Farrell family, their establishment in Tuam, contribution to the Milling industry and their connections locally to the local Abbey, Moyne & Coolrevagh Mills
Patrick will present a 2nd talk ‘Discover the tribes of your ancestors’ which will cover the Family Finder test and how DNA is helping us rediscover the tribes and their patrilineal descendants.
A short talk by Martin Curley on effective use of your DNA results and how gedmatch can be used to clarify the connections more clearly will wrap up the day.
A light lunch will be provided and a suggested donation of €10 to cover this and other costs would be appreciated of attendees.
New Yorker Steve Striegel and his wife Nancy looking towards Guilka and Brierfield from Knockroe where his ancestor John Curley was born
