Would it help your genealogical research to know that 30% of your DNA comes from Kerry, 20% from Galway, 25% from Wexford, and 25% from Antrim? I think the answer is a huge "yes" especially if all you know about your ancestors is that they came "from Ireland". Having a specific geographic location for the origins of your DNA could help you focus your documentary research.

Wouldn't it be great if you could take a DNA test and find out what percentage of your DNA came from the different parts of Ireland? Well that is what this project is all about. The more we collect autosomal DNA from localised geographic areas in Ireland, the better the reference population we will have for making these types of comparisons.

As well as this project, there are several academic projects that are collecting this type of localised data. The People of the British Isles (POBI) project has already collected a lot of samples from Northern Ireland and the Irish DNA Atlas (IDA) project is in the process of collecting samples from all of Ireland. Recruitment to the latter is still ongoing and anyone who meets the criteria of "8 great grandparents from the same geographical area" will be referred to the Irish DNA Atlas team.

LINKS

• http://www.peopleofthebritishisles.org
• https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/People_of_the_British_Isles
• http://isogg.org/wiki/People_of_the_British_Isles
• http://www.ox.ac.uk/news/2015-03-19-who-do-you-think-you-really-are-genetic-map-british-isles
• http://isogg.org/wiki/Irish_DNA_Atlas_Project
• http://www.irishtimes.com/blogs/irishroots/2013/09/05/the-irish-dna-atlas/
• https://www.familyhistory.ie/index.php/en/2012-04-22-23-12-47
• http://www.eneclann.ie/2015/10/podcaststhe-irish-dna-atlas-gianpiero-cavalleri/
• http://www.whodoyouthinkyouarelive.com/workshop/results-irish-dna-atlas-project