The Farrell Clan Gathering 2026 was recently held in Longford and on Wednesday evening (July 22nd) I gave a presentation on genealogy, including an update on the Farrell DNA Project, focussing on Group 2. You can see it here or by clicking on the image below.
The key question addressed by the presentation is: can DNA take your Farrell ancestry back 1,500 years? This presentation explores how to get started with your Farrell family tree, make the best use of historical records, and combine them with DNA evidence to overcome even the toughest genealogical brick walls. You'll discover how the Farrell DNA Project has uncovered the Y-DNA signature of the Farrells of Annaly (County Longford) and how, as the project expands, it may enable participants to connect with documented medieval pedigrees, opening the door to tracing their paternal line all the way back to 500 AD, when literacy arrived in Ireland.
YouTube Chapters (click any timestamp below to go to that specific chapter)
00:00 – Introduction & Welcome
An introduction to the Farrell Clan Gathering, the aims of the presentation, and how DNA is transforming Irish family history research.
02:40 – Building Your Farrell Family Tree
Learn how to get started with your family tree using Ancestry, WikiTree and free Irish genealogy resources, with practical tips on subscriptions, AI tools, and overcoming common research challenges.
14:55 – DNA Testing Explained: Y-DNA, mtDNA & Autosomal DNA
An easy-to-understand overview of the three main types of DNA tests, what each one can tell you, and which tests are most useful for Irish genealogy.
17:55 – Case Study: Breaking thru a Brick Wall with Autosomal DNA
A real-life example showing how shared DNA matches, family trees and collaborative research uncovered seven previously unknown generations of ancestors, adding a total of 23 additional ancestors beyond the Brick Wall.
25:44 – Using Autosomal DNA Clusters to Break Thru Your Farrell Brick Wall
Discover how clustering shared DNA matches can identify unknown common ancestors, organise distant cousin matches, and provide new clues when documentary records have run out.
34:30 – Using Y-DNA37 to Find Your Farrell Genetic Group
An introduction to the Farrell DNA Project, how Y-DNA follows the direct paternal line, and how it can determine which of the major Farrell genetic groups your family belongs to.
38:45 – Big Y Testing and the Farrells of Annaly (Group 2)
See how Big Y testing is reconstructing the genetic family tree of the medieval O'Farrell dynasty, identifying branches of the Farrells of Annaly and linking modern families to their historic origins.
58:10 – CAST vs DAST: the Big Y helps validate the Medieval Genealogies
Discover how comparisons between Clan Associated Surname Trees (CAST) and DNA Associated Surname Trees (DAST) provide strong evidence supporting the accuracy of the medieval O'Farrell genealogies and their related clans.
1:01:10 – Future Directions: Connecting Your Farrell Line to 500 AD
Explore how combining documentary genealogy, autosomal DNA, Y-DNA and Big Y testing could eventually bridge the gap between your family tree and the medieval O'Farrell pedigrees - potentially tracing your paternal ancestry back to the arrival of literacy in Ireland around 500 AD. That would give you 49 generations of Farrell ancestors, with a gap of some 3-6 generations where DNA markers substitute for named ancestors.
Maurice Gleeson
July 2026
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