Project update 2024 - presentation & video

At a recent webinar, organised by the Farrell Clan Association, I gave an update on the Farrell DNA Project and you can see the video here.

Links associated with the presentation are included below.

The project currently has 665 members and you can see the Results Page here. There are 21 groups currently in the project and the presentation focuses on the largest three groups:

• Group 5 has 15 members. The dominant surnames are Farley & Farrelly and they appear to have origins in Cavan / Meath. Woulfe's surname dictionary gives a brief description of a "distinguished ecclesiastical family" from Drumlane, county Cavan, who may have been ancestors of this group. They were "coarbs of St Mogue" and "erenaghs of Drumlane". Coarbs and erenaghs were like lay abbots and helped with the running of the monastery - see here (p23). Genetically, the common ancestor for the current members of the group was born about 1050 AD, which is within the time period of the emergence of surnames in Ireland (roughly 900-1200 AD).
• Group 4 has 16 members, divided into two main branches. In one branch the Farrell name predominates and dates back to the 1580s. Sam Hanna has done extensive research on this branch and has written a book about his research. This branch is probably descended from Scottish settlers who arrived in the early 1600s as part of the Plantation of Ulster. The second branch is dominated by the surname Farris (and variants), and this group shares a common ancestor who lived about 1400 AD, probably in Scotland. The overarching ancestor for both branches probably lived some time in the 1300s in Scotland. As more Scottish men called Farris do the Big Y test, this date could be pushed back further.
• Group 2 has 68 members and represents the Farrell's of Annaly (Longford). Genetically, their common ancestor was born about 950 AD, which is within the timeframe when surnames were introduced in Ireland. Woulfe describes how the clan split into the O'Farrell Bawn (in North Annaly, which roughly corresponds with the barony of Granard in northeast county Longford), and the O'Farrell Bwee (in South Annaly, a much larger territory which roughly corresponds with the remaining more southerly portion of county Longford, extending slightly into the neighbouring counties of Westmeath and Roscommon). In addition, O Hart describes an additional 8 branches of the wider Farrell Clan - it would be great to have representatives from each of these branches in the project, so if you know of any, get them on board! Most of these branches link up with the ancient medieval genealogies, which in turn go far back into the distant past, so having Y-DNA from their descendants would be an essential part of the project moving forwards.

The 10 documented branches of the O'Farrell's of Annaly
- which branch do you belong to?

This 2024 update emphasised the Triangular Interplay between Surnames, Geography & DNA. And in order to figure out which genetic branch is which, people are encouraged to include their ancetor's townland of origin (if known) and whether they are O'Farrell Bwee or O'Farrell Bawn.

We also explored the link between the Farrell's of Group 2 and the medieval genealogies of the Conmaicne Mara (from whom they are supposed to originate). By constructing a CAST (Clan-Associated Surnames Tree) from the genealogies, and a DAST (DNA-Associated Surnames Tree) from the DNA, we were able to see where the two trees (one genealogical, the other genetic) were consistent with each other, and where they were not. Strong genetic connections to the Reynolds & Shanley surname, as well as (currently) less substantial connections to the surnames Mulvey, Brogan, Christie & McGarrell, provided convincing evidence that this portion of the Irish medieval genealogies appears to be broadly accurate.

CAST vs DAST comparison - Conmaicne Mara
(click to enlarge)

Next Steps & further testing

We continue to look for descendants of Farrell families with extensive pedigrees. If you are related to one of the 8 Farrell families with extensive pedigrees that were mentioned above, please get in touch with me (mauricegleeson AT doctors.org.uk). We may be able to sponsor a test for you (if we have enough donations in the General Fund).

If you want to do the Y-DNA test and see where you fit into the project, start with the Y-DNA37 test and upgrade to the Big Y test if necessary. You can buy the Y-DNA37 test here. This link also automatically joins you to the project where I will be able to provide support.

We need more people in general to do the Big-Y test. Even if you don’t have an extensive pedigree, your Big-Y results can add a lot to the project. They may identify additional sub-branches, and they will help refine the age estimates for all the existing branching points. Take advantage of the Black Friday Sales (29th Nov 2024) where you will get discounts in the price of upgrades to the Big-Y test. 

Lastly, here are three things that all test-takers should make sure they have done:

1. If you don't see your name on our Results Page or the Time Tree, you need to adjust your settings in order to allow display of your anonymized results. Instructions here (item 7).
2. If you haven’t done so already, post your pedigree on our Pedigrees Page (or send it to me and I will do it for you - mauricegleeson AT doctors.org.uk).  
3. If you don't see your EKA (Earliest Known Ancestor) on the Results Page, you need to adjust your settings to include him in your profile. And remember to include his townland (if you know it). Instructions here (item 3).

 
Happy Thanksgiving! 

Maurice Gleeson

Nov 2024

Update on Group 5 - Farley & Farrelly

Group 5 of the Farrell DNA Project currently consists of 16 participants. Questions relating to this group include:

1. where did they come from?
2. did they arise from a specific clan?
3. what was the Irish version of their surname?
4. what is the branching structure of their "genetic family tree"?
5. how closely related are group members to each other?

The dominant surname variant is Farley (7 members), followed by Farrelly (4 members), and Farrell (2). There are individual instances of Brazaitis, Roche & Walsh. 

Current participants in Group 5 of the Farrell DNA Project

Most participants have not supplied information about the birth location of their Most Distant Known Ancestor (MDKA), but those that have include the following information:

• Co. Leitrim (x1 participant)
• Co. Meath (x2 participants)
• Kildallan, Co. Cavan, Ireland (x2 participants)
• Drogheda, Co. Louth, Ireland  (x1 participant) 

From the above, it is possible that the progenitor of Group 5 lived in the northern part of Ireland, somewhere between Sligo and Drogheda. It would help if other participants entered their MDKA information.

Birth locations of MDKAs (Most Distant Known Ancestors)

Surname Distribution Maps from the mid-1800s show that there was a heavy concentration of men called Farley & Farrelly in the same general area.

Surname Distribution Maps
(based on Griffiths Valuation of the mid-1800s. From https://www.johngrenham.com/)

Five people within the group have undertaken the Big Y-700 test. This test assesses over 700 STR markers and over 200,000 SNP markers. The results show that the members of Group 5 sit on a branch of the Tree of Mankind characterised by the SNP Marker FT168526. This DNA marker is about 1000 years old, which roughly corresponds with the time when surnames started emerging in Ireland. There are several branches below this branch, and their approximate ages, surnames of test-takers, and surnames & locations of MDKA are detailed in the diagram below.

Time Tree showing surname of test-taker, surname of MDKA, & birth location of MDKA

From the information above, it seems highly likely that the Farley / Farrelly surname arose in Ireland some 1000 years ago. An early branch (characterised by the SNP marker R-M310) diverged about 1050 AD (some of the descendants had ancestors from Cavan), and further branches emerged about 1250 AD (S4097) and 1400 AD (FTB32490). Some descendants of the latter branch lived in Meath.

Farley, Farrell & Farrelly are probably all variants of the same original surname. Further information on these surnames and their Irish precursors can be found here (Farrell) and here (Farrelly). The latter article contains the following references which may be of particular relevance:

Farrell surname variants in Woulfe (1923)

[1] Ó FAIRCHEALLAIGH—I—O Ferrally, O'Farrelly, Farrelly, Farley, &c.; 'descendant of Faircheallach' (super-war); the name of a distinguished ecclesiastical family who, until the suppression of the monastery, were coarbs* of St. Mogue, or erenaghs* of Drumlane, in Co. Cavan, and are now very numerous throughout the county. There was another family of the name in the neighbourhood of Duntryleague, in the east of Co. Limerick, but it has long since disappeared from that district and is probably extinct. (p520) ...

http://www.libraryireland.com/names/of/o-faircheallaigh.php

[3] Ó FEARGHUIS, Ó FEARGHUSA—I—O Farguise, O Farris, O Ferris, O Farrissa, Fergus, Ferris, Farris, Farrissy, &c.; 'descendant of Fearghus' (super-choice); the name (1) of a medical family in West Connacht who were hereditary physicians to the O'Malleys; and (2) of an ecclesiastical family in Co. Leitrim who were coarbs* of St. Mogue, or erenaghs of Rossinver. At the end of the 16th century, the name was very scattered. (p524) ... http://www.libraryireland.com/names/of/o-fearghuis.php

Farrell surname variants in MacLysaght (1985-1996)

Surnames of Ireland (1991) lists the following surname variants:

[12] Farley A common English name used as a synonym of Farrelly especially in Co. Cavan.

[13] (O) Farrelly Wolfe gives Ó Faircheallaigh but Ó Fearghaile, a variant of Ó Fearghail – see previous entry – is acceptable as an alternative. An important co–arb family. People of this sept are still numerous in its homeland as Map, not elsewhere. IF Map Cavan.

Irish Families (1985) includes an entry for (O) Farrelly:

[20] (O)FARRELLY, Farley, O'Farrelly - Ó Faircheallaigh in Irish - is the name of a Breffny sept associated in both early and modern times principally with Counties Cavan and Meath. Their leading family were erenaghs of Drumlane, Co. Cavan, and were also coarbs of St Mogue until the suppression of the monastries in the sixteenth century. The Gaelic poet Feardorcha O'Farrelly (d. 1746) was born in Co. Cavan.

The O'Farrelly sept seated at Knockainy, Co. Limerick, mentioned as such by O'Heerin in his fourteenth century "Topographical Poem" and still numerous in Co. Limerick when the 1659 census was compiled are no longer to be found there: even a century ago O'Donovan commented on the fact that they had disappeared.

In parts of Ulster Farley is used as a synonym of Farrelly, which leads to confusion since Farley is a common English name. Cardinal Farley (1842–1918), Archbishop of New York, who was born in Co. Armagh, is an example of the use of this synonym.

So from the above information, it seems plausible that the members of Group 5 are descendants of the O'Farrelly clan from counties Cavan & Meath. The original Irish form of the surname may have been either Ó Faircheallaigh or Ó Fearghaile, which would have been pronounced similarly to modern-day O'Farrelly. Farley appears to be an anglicised version of Farrelly.

It would be helpful if members of Group 5 could include the geographic origins of their MDKA. To do this simply log in to your FTDNA account, click on your name (top right), then Account Settings, then Genealogy, and then Earliest Known Ancestors. The details of the birth location of the MDKA can be included in both the section entitled "Paternal Ancestral Location" and the section above that under "Name and Birth/Death date" (the latter only allows a maximum of 50 characters).

As more people do the Big Y test, the finer detail of the branching structure for Group 5 will become apparent, and we will have a better picture of which people within the group are more closely related to each other.

Maurice Gleeson

May 2024