I picked up a copy of Jean Manco's new book 'Ancestral journeys: the peopling of Europe from the first venturers to the Vikings' the other day. Inevitably we are in the index under 'N' for Niall but Jean does give a reasonably up to date picture. Here are some quotes: 'A more likely genetic signature of La Tene in Ireland [than I-M284] is R1b-M222 carried by up to 44 per cent of men in parts of Northern Ireland today [fn. 49]. ..R1b-M222 was initially labelled as the lineage of Niall [fn. 50]... wider sampling showed the highest concentrations in northeastern Ireland and western Ireland. Outside Ireland there were roughly 10 percent of men carrying M222 in northern England, western Scotland and northeastern Scotland [fn. 52]. This is not the pattern we would expect from Irish migrants into Britain. So R1b-M222 hints at La Tene movements into Ireland...' 49. Busby 2012 The peopling of Europe and the cautionary tale of R-M269, PRS B 279 (1730) 884-92 50. Moore 2006 A Y chromosome signal of hegemony in Gaelic Ireland AJHG 78(2) 34-38 52. Busby 2012 Under the footnote lists at the back along with footnote 50 is this: 'An independent study found M222 running in several additional families of Donegal and Ulster in Ireland and Galloway in Scotland: Howard and McLaughlin 2011.' Jean will not at all (much) mind being overtaken rapidly by our latest research. She posts a lot on Anthrogenica and readily admitted her book would probably be out of date by the time it came out. Nevertheless, this is one of the most balanced commentaries we have had yet. The overall book is recommended, although if you read on you may feel that she doesn't really tie up the distribution of M222 with La Tene finds. Iain

I have Jean's book and have followed her Website for some time. I believe that a very good case can be made for the introduction of M222 into Ireland by the La Tene horizon. Below are two messages I posted a few months ago on another forum. The links go to graphics that describe the text. =============================================================== La Tène in Ireland All of the La Tène artifacts unearthed in Ireland have been found in the northern part. The metal finds are generally made from bronze, but in the La Tène style. Other finds are the La Tène Beehive querns found in the same general areas, but not in the exact locations. The metal objects are found in the good land and the querns are found in the poorer land. It is believed that this indicates a class distinction and indicates a population change beyond just mounted warriors. The three principle tribes in this area were the Connachta(Féini), Ulaidh, and the Laighin and it was about these peoples that the Ulster Cycle and in particular, the Táin Bó Cúailnge were composed. In a very old law tract, we find "There were three principal kinships in Ireland: the Féini, the Ulaidh, and the Gáilni, i.e., the Laighin.". Pronunciations: Ulaidh = Uly; Tir Ulaidh => Ulster Laighin = Layin; Tir Laighin => Leinster Emhain Macha = Avan Macha Cruachain = Cruacin Táin Bó Cúailnge = Tawn Bo Cooley; Cattle driving of Cooley - Cooley is a peninsula in County Louth. http://i1125.photobucket.com/albums/l589/Knockbridge1/DNA/IronAgeIreland.jpg Work has been done in the last few decades by archaeologists who have identified two clear horizons which unite the Connachta, Ulaidh, and the Laighin by way of what are called their Royal Sites which are identified in the Táin. These are the 'Royal Sites' of the Táin Bó Cúailnge which have been identified and studied. Emhain is the best studied and Cruachain the worst, but that is improving. Knockaulin - Dún Ailinne of the Laighin Tara - the most important Navan Fort - Emhain Macha of the Ulaidh Rathcroghan - Cruachain of the Connachta http://i1125.photobucket.com/albums/l589/Knockbridge1/DNA/figure_of_eight_ly nn500.png Horizons (summarized): 4th century BCE - late second BCE: A series of figure-of-eight structures are built in Emhain, Dún Ailinne and Tara. (Unknown at Cruachain). They have no parallel anywhere in Europe. 1st century BCE (95 BCE at Emhain by dendrochronology): The figure-of-eight structures are removed and a "40 meter structure" is built at all 4 sites. They have no parallel anywhere in Europe. It seems that the archeology reveals a direct prehistoric datable connection among the Connachta, Ulaidh, and the Laighin which parallels the stories of the Ulster Cycle. This may mean something about the spread of La Tène and possibly M222. ======================================================== The La Tène artifact at Navan Fort Emhain Macha, now called Navan Fort is about 260 m across. It is 2 Km west of the city of Armagh. The site marked B is the location of the figure-of-eight and 40-meter structures. The 40 m structure at Site B, the enclosure of Navan Fort itself, and The Dorsey have all been dated by dendrochronology to 95 BCE. The Dorsey is about 20 Km south of Navan and is considered part of the Black Pig's Dyke across southern Ulster. http://i1125.photobucket.com/albums/l589/Knockbridge1/DNA/lynn1a1000.png At the upper right is a small lake called Loughnashade in which four bronze La Tène style trumpets were found in 1798. Only one of these survives and Chris Lynn dates it to the first century BCE/CE. http://i1125.photobucket.com/albums/l589/Knockbridge1/DNA/Loughnashade-Trump et-jpeg.jpg The BBC series called Time Team did a show about Navan: S03-E05 "Palace of the Irish Kings (Navan, Co Armagh)". It is on YouTube and shows a modern artisan recreating the trumpet's end disc. -----Original Message----- From: [email protected] [mailto:[email protected]] On Behalf Of Iain Kennedy Sent: Monday, December 02, 2013 6:55 AM To: [email protected] Subject: [R-M222] Jean Manco: M222 a La Tene signal? I picked up a copy of Jean Manco's new book 'Ancestral journeys: the peopling of Europe from the first venturers to the Vikings' the other day. Inevitably we are in the index under 'N' for Niall but Jean does give a reasonably up to date picture. Here are some quotes: 'A more likely genetic signature of La Tene in Ireland [than I-M284] is R1b-M222 carried by up to 44 per cent of men in parts of Northern Ireland today [fn. 49]. ..R1b-M222 was initially labelled as the lineage of Niall [fn. 50]... wider sampling showed the highest concentrations in northeastern Ireland and western Ireland. Outside Ireland there were roughly 10 percent of men carrying M222 in northern England, western Scotland and northeastern Scotland [fn. 52]. This is not the pattern we would expect from Irish migrants into Britain. So R1b-M222 hints at La Tene movements into Ireland...' 49. Busby 2012 The peopling of Europe and the cautionary tale of R-M269, PRS B 279 (1730) 884-92 50. Moore 2006 A Y chromosome signal of hegemony in Gaelic Ireland AJHG 78(2) 34-38 52. Busby 2012 Under the footnote lists at the back along with footnote 50 is this: 'An independent study found M222 running in several additional families of Donegal and Ulster in Ireland and Galloway in Scotland: Howard and McLaughlin 2011.' Jean will not at all (much) mind being overtaken rapidly by our latest research. She posts a lot on Anthrogenica and readily admitted her book would probably be out of date by the time it came out. Nevertheless, this is one of the most balanced commentaries we have had yet. The overall book is recommended, although if you read on you may feel that she doesn't really tie up the distribution of M222 with La Tene finds. Iain ------------------------------- To unsubscribe from the list, please send an email to [email protected] with the word 'unsubscribe' without the quotes in the subject and the body of the message