This is not my understanding of how the DNA line works. I understood that the mother can not pass down the Y-DNA. So my sons do not carry the Y-DNA of my father, just as my mother could not pass down the Y-DNA of her line. [The carrying of the surname (not by marriage) can be a useful pointer.] For example, after making enquiries, it seems that to get any useful DNA tests for my Irish roots on my mother's side, I would need to find a male descendant from one of my uncles and have them do the test. I may be mistaken but this needs to be clarified as it could lead to false hopes and people being surprised and upset by results of testing. Regards, Patsy - New Zealand Sent: Wednesday, August 26, 2009 6:26 AM Subject: Re: [CO CORK] DNA question > As long as the male line is unbroken then her sons would have the same > Y-DNA > as that of her great grandfather; however, if a male from another family > is > the father of her 2 sons then they would have different Y-DNA. > > Cliff. Johnston > "May the best you've ever seen, > Be the worst you'll ever see;" > from A Scots Toast by Allan Ramsay > Sent: Tuesday, August 25, 2009 1:16 PM > Subject: Re: [CO CORK] DNA question > > >> Previous messages led me to believe Pat was the mother of the two sons, >> not >> the father? If so, her sons do not carry her father's y-dna. They carry >> the >> y-dna of her father-in-law.

you would have to find a male relative on your mum's side that has her maiden name as his surname to track back on that line. the mother can take an mtdna which tracks back on all the females going further back. correct me anybody if im wrong. john in ireland ----- Original Message ---- From: Patricia O'Shea <pkoshea@xtra.co.nz> To: countycork@rootsweb.com Sent: Tuesday, 25 August, 2009 20:16:36 Subject: Re: [CO CORK] DNA question This is not my understanding of how the DNA line works. I understood that the mother can not pass down the Y-DNA. So my sons do not carry the Y-DNA of my father, just as my mother could not pass down the Y-DNA of her line. [The carrying of the surname (not by marriage) can be a useful pointer.] For example, after making enquiries, it seems that to get any useful DNA tests for my Irish roots on my mother's side, I would need to find a male descendant from one of my uncles and have them do the test. I may be mistaken but this needs to be clarified as it could lead to false hopes and people being surprised and upset by results of testing. Regards, Patsy - New Zealand Sent: Wednesday, August 26, 2009 6:26 AM Subject: Re: [CO CORK] DNA question > As long as the male line is unbroken then her sons would have the same > Y-DNA > as that of her great grandfather;  however, if a male from another family > is > the father of her 2 sons then they would have different Y-DNA. > > Cliff. Johnston > "May the best you've ever seen, > Be the worst you'll ever see;" > from A Scots Toast by Allan Ramsay > Sent: Tuesday, August 25, 2009 1:16 PM > Subject: Re: [CO CORK] DNA question > > >> Previous messages led me to believe Pat was the mother of the two sons, >> not >> the father? If so, her sons do not carry her father's y-dna. They carry >> the >> y-dna of her father-in-law. Check out the Ireland GenWeb County Cork Website at:  http://www.rootsweb.com/~irlcor/ It is a good place to find information related to your family research. ------------------------------- To unsubscribe from the list, please send an email to COUNTYCORK-request@rootsweb.com with the word 'unsubscribe' without the quotes in the subject and the body of the message

Yes, John is correct. Mitochondrial dna is the type that is passed on only by the mother. It is passed to both sons and daughters, but only women transmit it to their children. This is because mitochondria are located outside the cell nucleus--male sperm passes on only the nuclear material, not anything that is outside the nucleus. The complete egg cell however does become part of the child's heredity. ----- Original Message ----- From: "john tyner" <johntyner2001@yahoo.com> To: <countycork@rootsweb.com> Sent: Tuesday, August 25, 2009 12:49 PM Subject: Re: [CO CORK] DNA question you would have to find a male relative on your mum's side that has her maiden name as his surname to track back on that line. the mother can take an mtdna which tracks back on all the females going further back. correct me anybody if im wrong. john in ireland

You are correct Patsy. Women do not have any Y-dna to pass on to anyone. Sharon Haggerty ----- Original Message ----- From: "Patricia O'Shea" <pkoshea@xtra.co.nz> To: <countycork@rootsweb.com> Sent: Tuesday, August 25, 2009 12:16 PM Subject: Re: [CO CORK] DNA question > This is not my understanding of how the DNA line works. > > I understood that the mother can not pass down the Y-DNA. So my sons do > not > carry the Y-DNA of my father, just as my mother could not pass down the > Y-DNA of her line. [The carrying of the surname (not by marriage) can be a > useful pointer.] > > For example, after making enquiries, it seems that to get any useful DNA > tests for my Irish roots on my mother's side, I would need to find a male > descendant from one of my uncles and have them do the test. > > I may be mistaken but this needs to be clarified as it could lead to false > hopes and people being surprised and upset by results of testing. > > Regards, Patsy - New Zealand