Introduction

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An Unusual Test Result. In July 2008, with some skepticism, I had my Y-chromosone DNA tested for 67 genealogical markers. Results showed that I was of Atlantic European ancestry and matched up well with people named Biggins or Beggan. That was interesting but expected. Results also showed a good match with people named Maguire, Carroll, McDonald, McKenna, and McMahon. Furthermore, we all had an unusual null value for DNA marker 425. I described the results on my Web page: Biggins/Beggan Irish Roots.

My Web page related a conversation I had with Gerard Beggan when I met with him in September 2007 at his home in Carrickmacross, County Monaghan. Gerard told me that in 1969, Rev. Peadar Livingstone (1932-1987) told him that Beggan was a branch of the Maguire family. I had found Gerard's name on the Web site of Al Beagan. Father Livingstone was a renowned scholar in both the Irish language and local history. He wrote comprehensive histories of two counties in Ireland, The Fermanagh Story in 1969, and The Monaghan Story in 1980.

Enniskillen Castle built by Hugh Maguire prior to his death in 1428. On the River Erne in Enniskillen, County Fermanagh. In the 17th century, it became an English garrison fort and later served as part of a military barracks.

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An Email from Josiah McGuire. In March 2009, I received an email from Josiah McGuire. He was getting reports that he was matching up with me and found my Web page. He said, "I think it is really quite amazing... and very interesting that Peadar Livingstone thought the Beggans had their origins from the Maguires... and here of all things, are some fairly close matches that may confirm this."

Josiah's email went on: "I have been watching and studying the 425 nulls between the Carrolls, McMahons, McKennas, and McGuires since I had my markers upgraded to 67 markers in 2006. I suspected that we probably shared a common ancestor, but very few researchers took my comments very seriously. These surnames and several others who I also have matches with are said to descend from "Colla da Chrioch" as stated in the Irish Pedigrees by O'Hart."

Participation in the Biggins DNA project has turned out to be worth far more than I had anticipated. It confirms that the names Biggins, Beaghen, Beggan, and Little are based on the Irish word for small, beag, as mentioned in Irish surname books by Patrick Woulfe (1923) and Edward MacLysaght (1969). And it confirms what Professor Peadar Livingstone had told Gerard Beggan in the 1970s--that Beggans are related to Maguires.

But most importantly, the DNA project established a connection with ancient Irish history. We Beggans were no longer just a humble people with a name based on the Irish word for small. With big names like Carroll, McMahon, McKenna, and Maguire, we were descended from the Three Collas who lived in the 4th century and established the ancient kingdom of Oriel in Monaghan and Fermanagh and later Hy-Maine in Galway and Roscommon.

In February 2008, the Carroll DNA Project posted this news: "We think that a group of our participants may have hit the Jackpot! They may be related to the O'Carroll Princes of Oriel (Monaghan and Louth). This Kingdom located in the North of Ireland was founded by the three Collas Brothers around the year 327 AD. Wow! Will keep you posted on this as we get more news."

Clan Donald has been collecting DNA since 1999. Their Web site has now established a Magenta subgroup that they say is parallel to "the McMahons of Fermanagh (one of the territories of ancient Oriel founded by the Collas who allegedly conquered Ulster around 330 AD). . . . It is distinguished by a null value for marker DYS425."

In December 2008, the McQuillan Clan Association announced "DNA Project Sheds New Light on McQuillan Connections." Specifically, they said that "our first "cluster" shows recent shared ancestry for Monaghan & Fermanagh McQuillans. The close match between these three McQuillans reveals the first localized McQuillan haplotype cluster to emerge in our study. This cluster also shows a relationship with some Cullens, and perhaps with the McMahons of Monaghan."

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By Three Colla Descendants. This study of the Y-chromosome DNA of the Three Collas is the product of three descendants of the Three Collas--Colla da Crioch to be specific.

• Josiah McGuire. Josiah McGuire started DNA testing in 2004 but first recognized the DNA of the Three Collas after he had his markers upgraded to 67 markers in 2006. In June 2009, he started a new project at FTDNA called the Clan Colla Null 425 Project and serves as the administrator of the project. The project is designed to attract Clan Colla descendants, encourage upgrades to the 67-marker test, and promote Clan Colla research. Josiah's DNA is kit #23171. His genetic distance from the Colla Modal DNA is 9. His most distant known Colla ancestor is Josiah McGuire, who was born in 1794 in the Commonwealth of Virginia in the United States. Josiah lives in Indiana, USA. His email address is: j_j_mcguire@msn.com
• Peter Biggins. I had my DNA tested in July 2008. When I realized with Josiah's help in May 2009 that I was descended from the Three Collas, I added this page on the DNA of the Three Collas to my genealogy Web site called PetersPioneers. When the Josiah started the FTDNA Clan Colla Null 425 Project in June 2009, he asked me to serve as his co-administrator. My DNA is kit #127469. My genetic distance from the Colla Modal DNA is 6. My most distant known Colla ancestor is Patrick Biggins (Beggan), who was born in 1807 in Ireland, most likely the townland of Drumgill, near Cootehill in County Cavan. I live in Connecticut, USA. My email address is: pabigin@optonline.net
• Patrick McMahon. In February 2009, Patrick Ciaran McMahon started DNA testing, In July 2009, he was added as a co-administrator of the FTDNA Clan Colla Null 425 Project. In addition to being a fellow Colla descendant, Patrick spent a good part of his career working as a geneticist and lives in Ireland. Patrick's DNA is kit #145687. His genetic distance from the Colla Modal DNA is 4. Patrick has an advanced degree in genetics from Trinity College Dublin. He has traced his family back to Faolan MacMathghamhna (Felim/Phelan MacMahon), who lived in County Monaghan in the early 12th century. Patrick lives in Gorey, Ireland. His email address is: mcmahongorey@utvinternet.com

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FTDNA Clan Colla DNA Project

Two of the three swab kits in the FTDNA Kit.

If you are a male with the name of a Colla descendant, you may benefit from participating in the Clan Colla 425 null project at Family Tree DNA. FTDNA has the largest DNA database in the field.

Josiah McGuire started the Clan Colla 425 null project in June 2009 and serves as administrator of the project. The project is designed to attract Clan Colla descendants, encourage upgrades to the 67-marker test, and promote Clan Colla research. Josiah asked me and Patrick McMahon to serve as co-administrators.

You can participate in our Colla project as well as a project specifically set up for your surname. There is no additional cost for being part of two projects.

By testing the Y-chromosome DNA, males can determine the origin of their paternal line. Note that the Y-chromosome DNA strictly checks the paternal line, with no influence of any females along that line. Females do not receive the Y-chromosome, and therefore females cannot be tested for the paternal line. If you are a female and would like to know about your paternal line, you would have to find a brother or a male relative from that line willing to be tested.

You sign up online for FTDNA and they deduct the cost from your credit card. They send you in the mail a kit containing three scrapers that you use to swab the inside of your cheeks in four-hour intervals. You return the scrapers in receptacles and mailer provided in the kit. You get final results on line two months later.

If you decide to have your DNA tested, you should choose the 67 markers. The lesser tests of 12, 25, or 37 markers do not include markers 511, 425, 413a, and 481, which are key to verifying a match with Colla descendants.

Most names have multiple origins. For example, there are Monaghan McMahons (Colla descendants) and Clare McMahons (not Colla descendants). For this reason, your results may show that your DNA does not match the Colla DNA, which will lead you in a different ancestry direction.

Predicting a Clan Colla Match. If you have a Colla name, you can use the values of key markers in the table to the right to predict your chances of matching the DNA of Colla descendants. For example, if you have done the 12-marker test, you have a better chance of matching Clan Colla if you have a value of 15 or more for Marker 385b and 13 or more for 439. Among those already in the Colla Group, 31% have one of these two markers and 69% have both. So, if you have both, you have a better chance of being descended from the Three Collas than if you have only one.

If you have a Colla surname, you can join the Colla project before receiving test results for all 67 markers.

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Annals of the Four Masters. The Annals of the Four Masters were composed from 1632 to 1636 in the Franciscan Monastery of Donegal chiefly by Michael O'Clery (1580-1643). In 1845, Irish historiographer Owen Connellan translated the book from Irish to English. In May 2007, Google digitized a copy of the translation from the Library at Oxford University: Annals of the Four Masters. A long footnote that starts on page 2 describes the ancient kingdom of Oriel and includes the descendants of the Three Collas. "The posterity of the three Collas, called clan Colla, founded many powerful clans and noble families in Ulster and other parts of Ireland.

• From Colla Uais were descended the MacDonnells, earls of Antrim in Ireland, and lords of the Isles in Scotland; also the MacRorys, a great clan in the Hebrides, and also many families of that name in Ulster, anglicised to Rogers.
• From Colla da Chrich, were descended the MacMahons, princes of Monaghan, lords of Ferney, and barons of Dartree, at Conagh, where they had their chief seat. The MacMahons were sometimes styled princes of Orgiall. An interesting account of the Mac Mahons, of Monaghan, is given by sir John Davis, who wrote in the reign of James the First. It may be observed that several of the MacMahons in former times changed the name to Mathews. The other chief clans of Monaghan were the MacKennas, chiefs of Truagh; the MacCabes; the MacNeneys, anglicised to Bird; the MacArdells; MacCassidys; O'Duffys, and O'Corrys; the O'Cosgras, MacCuskers or MacOscars, changed to Cosgraves, who possessed, according to O'Dugan, a territory called Fearra Rois, which comprised the district about Carrickmacross in Monaghan, with the parish of Clonkeen, adjoining, in the county of Louth; the Boylans of Dartree; the MacGilMichaels, changed to Mitchell; the MacDonnells; the O'Connellys, and others.
• From Colla-da-Chrich were also descended the MacGuires, lords of Fermanagh, and barons of Enniskillen; the O'Flanagans of Fermanagh; the O'Hanlons, chiefs of Hy-Meith-Tire, now the barony of Orior in Armagh, who held the office of hereditary regal standard-bearers of Ulster; the MacCathans or MacCanns of Clan Breasail, in Armagh; the O'Kellys, princes of Hy Maine, in the counties of Galway and Roscommon; and the O'Madagans or O'Maddens, chiefs of Siol Anmchadha or Silanchia, now the barony of Longford, in the county of Galway."

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Don Schlegel's Colla Family Trees. Jim McMahon's Web site, Clan McMahon of the Kingdom of Oriel, has several family trees for the Three Collas. The family trees were created by Donald M. Schlegel.

1. na tri Colla shows the three brothers and the tribes and family names descended from them.
   • Colla Uais: MacDugal, MacRory, MacDonald of Scotland, O'Flynn, O'Donnellean
   • Colla da Crioch: Maguire, MacMahon, MacCafferty, MacDonnell of Clan Kelly, MacManus, O'Connolly, O'Hanratty, O'Cooney, O'Neillan, O'Hanlon, Kearney, O'Heenan, MacAllan, O'Lannan
2. Ui Chrimthainn, a particular tribe descended from Chrimthann Liath, the great great grandson of Muredach Colla da Crioch, the first King of Airghialla. You can see on this chart that Eochaid, son of Crimthainn Liath was King of Airghialla and a contemporary of Saint Patrick.
   • Daimin: O'Hart, MacDonnell of Clan Kelly, O'Kelly, O'Keran
   • Cormac: Maguire, McManus, McCaffery
   • Nadsluag: O'Carroll of Oriel, McMahon
3. Clan Nadsluaig from whom descended the MacMahons and the O’Carrolls. This chart shows Clan Nadsluaig descending from Fergus, son of Nadsluag, grandson of Eochaid. As you follow this chart, you can see that the Lords of Fernmaig were of this line, including Mathgamna, from whom came the name MacMahon. From the line of Mathgamna come both the families of O’Carroll, known as the Kings of Oriel at the height of its power just prior to the coming of the Normans, and the MacMahons, the latter descending from Niall, brother of Murrough O’Carroll the last O’Carroll King of Oriel.

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RootsWeb. Another excellent source for information on the Three Collas is the RootsWeb article on the Kingdom of Airghialla by Dennis Walsh.

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Maguires. The Maguires of County Fermanagh, descendants of Colla da Crioch, spawned many other Colla surnames.

• Maguire Princely Pedigree, by Jim Maguire, presents a chart of descendants of the Maguires, including surnames adopted in the early 14th century.
• Edward MacLysaght (1887-1986) in his Irish Families, Their Names, Arms and Origins mentions seven surnames that are descended from the Maguires: MacAwley, McCaffrey, O'Corrigan, Devine/Davin, O'Hanraghty/Enright, MacAlilly/Lilly, and McManus.
• Rev. Peadar Livingstone (1932-1987) told Gerard Beggan in Clones in 1969 that Beggans are descended from Maguires. Gerard lives in Carrickmacross, County Monaghan.

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Clan Colla Saints

Saint Berchan. Saint Berchan lived in the 5th century and is listed on page 17 of the The Martyrology of Donegal: A Calendar of the Saints of Ireland, translated by John O'Donovan in 1864. He lived on Inish-Rochla, an island in Lough Erne near Enniskillen in County Fermanagh, Ireland. He was five generatiions down from Colla da Crioch, one of the Three Collas. His feast day is November 24.

Saint Cinnia. Saint Cinnia lived in the 5th century. She was a princess of Ulster, Ireland. Saint Cinnia was converted to Christianity by Saint Patrick. When she entered a convent, Saint Patrick gave her the veil. She was descended from Colla da Crioch, one of the Three Collas. Her feast day is February 1.

Saint Tigernach. Saint Tigernach was said to have been the godchild of Saint Brigid, and educated in Scotland. He may have been a monk at Clones as well as a bishop of Clogher in County Monaghan, but accounts are not too clear. He also is called Tierney and Tierry. Saint Tigernach died in 549. He was descended from Colla da Crioch, one of the Three Collas. His feast day is April 4.

Saint Cairnech. Saint Cairnech was born after the middle of the 5th century. His brothers were St. Berchan and St. Ronan. His monastery was probably at Cruachan Ligean on Loughh Foyle, near Lifford. He died about 530. He was descended from Colla da Crioch, one of the Three Collas. His feast day is March 28.

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Clan Colla DNA Study

This story and study of the DNA of the Three Collas was started in May 2009. A rudimentary modal Colla DNA was established from a group of people with Colla surnames such as Biggins, Carroll, Maguire, McMahon, McDonald, and McDaniel, who had similar DNA. This was facilitated by the fact that these people all had an unusual feature in their DNA: one of the 67 markers, number 425, had a null value. It was relatively easy to search among the DNA of these people for the ones that had the null value for marker 425. Not all of the people with these surnames had the null value but the ones that did all seemed to match up fairly closely. The ones that did not have the null value did not match up closely. The next step was to search for all the people, regardless of surname, who matched up fairly closely with the developing modal DNA. This has resulted in a list of people with Colla DNA--some with Colla surnames and some without. There were plausible reasons for the existence of this latter group: adoption, name change, genealogical omissions, and distant cousins.

A Reference Group was put together of people who do not have the Colla DNA. This group helps to understand how close the people are who have the Colla DNA. It also helps make predictions about closeness to Colla DNA based on markers other than the null 425.

The ancient genealogies and DNA test results seem to be confirming each other. A pattern or "signature" DNA has emerged for Colla descendants identified long ago by John O'Hart and his predecessors. And the ancient genealogies have given us a clue as to which people have Colla DNA.

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DNA Testing. By testing the Y-chromosome DNA, males can determine the origin of their paternal line. Note that the Y DNA strictly checks the paternal line, with no influence of any females along that line. Females do not receive the Y-chromosome, and therefore females cannot be tested for the paternal line. If you are a female and would like to know about your paternal line, you would need to have a male relative from that line to be tested.

The test results evaluated here all came from Family Tree DNA. Only 67-marker tests are included here because only those tests include marker 425, which is crucial to the analysis. The cost of this test varies from time to time, but the average is approximately $250. More advanced "deep-clade testing" provides more specific information about origin but is not necessary for this study.

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Colla Modal DNA. The genetic distance for participants in all groups is computed from a Colla Modal DNA. This study began with a rudimentary or preliminary Colla modal DNA for relatively small number of people who had Colla names and the null value for marker 425. This modal DNA evolved into a modal DNA that was essentially the same as one established by Josiah McGuire in June 2009, based on data from the Colla DNA Project, under the user ID of DURRQ at Ysearch. This DURRQ Colla Modal DNA is now the one used in this study.

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Genetic Distance. The next step was to compute the genetic distance from Colla Modal DNA for each person in the study. Genetic distance occurs because of mutations from one generation to another. If two people are identical in all markers except they are off in one marker by 1 point, the genetic distance would be 1. If they were off at 2 different markers by 1 point in each marker, then the genetic distance of those two samples would be 2. If they are off by 2 points at one marker and 1 point in a second marker, then the genetic distance would be 3. The value for marker 425 when it is not 0 is usually 12, but the genetic difference between 0 and 12 is treated as 1. Based on FTDNA practice, genetic distance for markers 464 a, b, c, and d and YCA II a and b is limited to 1. The method of computing genetic distance is called the hybrid mutation model. Actual calculations were made using the McGee Utility.

The last step was to average the genetic distance for each group and various subgroups.

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Summary of Study Results.

The graph shows the distribution of people by genetic distance from Colla Modal DNA. For example, it shows that 22 people have a genetic distance of 4. For the source of the data in the graph, see the GD tab in Source Data.

There are 148 people who have been included in the Colla Group because their DNA has been found to match fairly closely with Colla Modal DNA. Most do not know where their patronymic ancestor came from. Only 30 people can identify an ancestor from Ireland. This number represents about 1.1% of the approximately 2,700 people with known Irish origins who have tested with FTDNA at the 67-marker level.

The Colla Group includes people with non-Irish sounding names. It includes people who are related to each other. It includes surnames where there is only one representative. And, it includes people who have not done the more advanced "deep-clade testing." It does not, however, include 6 people who do not have a null value for marker 425. These people are discussed below.

Of the 67 markers, 14 markers are the same for 100% of the Colla Group participants, 48 markers are the same for 90% of the participants, and 58 markers are the same for 80% of the participants.

The genetic distance between the Colla Group and Colla Modal DNA ranges between 2 and 11, and averages 7. Of the 148 people, 126 or 85% of the group have a genetic distance of 4 to 9.

Within the Colla group, 28 have been assigned to Carrell Colla Uais, 94 have been assigned to to Muredach Colla da Crioch, none have been assigned to Aedh Colla Menn, and 26 remain unassigned. For more detailed information on the Colla Group, see Colla Group Detail and Source Data.

For comparative purposes, the genetic distance between Reference Group and Colla Modal DNA ranges between 11 and 34, and averages 23. For more detailed information on the Reference Group, see Reference Group Detail and Source Data. Following is a table summarizing the Colla and Reference Groups.

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Assigned Groups. Of the people in the Colla Group, 122 have Colla surnames. There is a variety of surnames--31 in total. All surnames are on O'Hart's list of Colla descendants, except:

• Biggins/Beggan/Beaghen/Little/Bigham, which was said by Peadar Livingstone to be descended from Maguire.
• Calkins, who O'Hart says was descended from Colla da Crioch in Irish Pedigrees; or, the Origin and Stem of the Irish Nation, published in 1892 (third edition), Volume I, page 608. On page 389 of his 1876 first edition, O'Hart indicates that Culkin is a variant of Colcan.
• Collins, originally Callan from Meath. MacLysaght shows a MacCallan from Fermanagh and an Oriel sept of O'Callan from Armagh/Monaghan.
• Heany, who O'Hart says, was a descendant of Mulrooney, 104th King of Oriel, who was descended from Colla da Crioch. See his Irish Pedigrees; or, the Origin and Stem of the Irish Nation, published in 1892 (third edition), Volume I, page 818 and page 672.
• O'Donoghue, a variant of McDonaghy, which is listed by Joseph Donohoe as a descendant of Maguire.
• McAuley, which is listed by Woulfe and MacLysaght as descended from Maguire. See also Go Ireland.
• Roberts, who O'Hart says was a descendant of Colla Uais. See his Irish Pedigrees; or, the Origin and Stem of the Irish Nation, published in 1892 (third edition), Volume I, pages 565-566.
• Roderick, who O'Hart says was descended from Colla da Crioch in Irish Pedigrees; or, the Origin and Stem of the Irish Nation, published in 1892 (third edition), Volume I, page 371 and page 383.
• Shannon, who O'Hart says was a descendant of O'Connor of Oriel, who is on the Clan Colla list. See his Irish Pedigrees; or, the Origin and Stem of the Irish Nation, published in 1892 (third edition), Volume I, page 640.

Only 20 percent of O'Hart's list of Colla surnames are included in the study. There are a number of good reasons.

• Many Colla names are uncommon.
• Only a small number of Colla descendants have had their DNA tested thus far.
• Most who have had their DNA tested have tested only 12, 25, or 37 markers rather than 67.
• Some people have been tested by an organization other than Family Tree DNA.
• Some people may have lost their name because an ancestor changed his name or was adopted. These people would show up in the Unassigned Group.
• O'Hart probably included some surnames of people who were not really Colla descendants.

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Unassigned Group. There are 26 people in the Colla Group that do not have actual Colla descendant surnames and cannot be assigned to one one of the Collas. There are several possible reasons why they are not listed by O'Hart and other sources.

• There was a name change by an ancestor.
• They or an ancestor were adopted. Two are known to be adopted.
• The historical lists of Colla descendants were incomplete.
• The name is on an historical list of Colla descendants but we have not found it yet.
• Their ancestors were descended from cousins of the Three Collas; and their surnames, therefore, evolved differently.

First sketch of the deoxyribonucleic acid double-helix pattern in 1953 by Francis Crick.

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Null Value for Marker 425. All Colla participants by study design have taken the 67-marker test conducted by FTDNA. One of the markers in the 67-marker test that is not in lesser tests is marker 425. A null value for marker 425 separates the Colla Group from the Reference Group, but it only accounts for a genetic distance of 1. The remaining distance between the mean of 6 for the Colla group and 23 for Reference Group is due to differences in other markers.

Not all people with the null value for marker 425 are Colla people. A special test, called the DYF371X test, is offered for those who have the null value for marker 425, and a Null 425 DNA project. The DYF371X test has been done for 30 Clan Colla descendants: 29 have subvalues of 10c-12c-13c-14c and one has subvalues of 10c-12c-14c-14c. Colla descendant subvalues are identified in the Source Data.

There are 6 people who match the Colla Group but do not have a Colla name or a null value for marker 425. It is very unlikely that a null value would ever be reversed. So, these 6 people may be descended from ancestors who existed sometime before the null value first occurred. Because of no Colla name and the absence of the null value for marker 424, however, these people may be totally unrelated to the Three Collas. Their genetic match may have occurred purely by chance.

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Colla Name Without Colla DNA. In the course of this study, it became apparent that there are a number of people with Colla names who do not have Colla DNA. There are several explanations for this phenomenon.

• They were from a separate sept with the same name. Most Irish names have multiple septs.
• They were adopted into the clan.
• They married a clanswomen and took her name because it was a more respected name.
• They were subordinates (vassals, servants, slaves etc) of the clan and took the name when they became free.
• They took the clan name without any connection to the clan, simply because it was a more respected name.

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Colla Versus Reference DNA. The Reference Group consists of a variety of people of Atlantic European descent (called R1b1b2), other than Colla descendants. The Reference Group was established as a standard against which to evaluate the genetic distance of the Colla Group. The genetic distance between the Colla group and Colla Modal DNA ranges between 2 and 11, and averages 6. For comparative purposes, the genetic distance between Reference Group and Colla Modal DNA ranges between 11 and 34, and averages 23. For more details, see Reference Group Detail

There are 365 Reference Group participants. They consist of;

• People who have DNA that is attributed to descendants of Niall of the Nine Hostages, called R-L222 or Northwest Irish
• People who have DNA that is attributed to descendants of Brian Boru, called R-L222 or Northwest Irish
• Joseph Donohoe's Subgroup P1: Oriel group identified by Joseph Donohoe, including 15 non-Colla people with Colla names (Maguire, McMahon, McAuley, et al) and 28 non-Colla people with non-Colla names (Byrne, Donohoe, Garvey, et al).
• Other non-Colla people who have the same surnames as Colla descendants.
• People who have two common Irish surnames: Murphy and Sullivan.

Contrasting the frequencies of 8 key marker values between the Colla and Reference Groups makes it is possible to predict whether someone with less than 67 markers tested will be a Colla descendant if he upgrades to the 67 markers. See Participation in DNA Project.

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Colla Subgroups. Patrick McMahon has used network software provided by Fluxus to show how 10 subgroups of the Colla Group members relate to each other. Patrick's Network consists of:

• Yellow circles representing the 10 Colla sub-modals.
• Links between the 10 Colla sub-modals. The length of links is proportional to genetic distance. The direction of the links is not meaningful.
• Red circles that show common connections between lines and the Colla Modal. They are reverse engineered from the data. They can be regarded as constructs for possible ancestors.

There is a Fluxus User Guide that explains the technical details of the network.

The 10 Colla subgroups are based on key markers where these differ from the Clan Colla Modal (DURRQ) and form recognizable "signatures" for the major name groups. The analysis is given in the workbook Relationships. "Once it became evident that there were unique identifiers associated with the major Colla surnames," reports Patrick, "it was simply a matter of developing this concept. The first worksheet, 'Patterns' shows the raw data and highlights the values different from DURRQ associated with the different names (in green). The second worksheet, 'Groups' shows the unique combinations of marker values associated with each name and therefore their signatures. Modals were generated (using the Excel Mode function) from 10 of these subgroups."

The Genetic Distance Matrix shows the genetic distance between each Colla sub-modal and each of the participants.

Patrick says the network is likely to change with time as he learns how to refine it.

In addition to being a fellow Colla descendant, Patrick has an advanced degree in genetics from Trinity College Dublin and spent a good part of his career working as a geneticist. Patrick lives in Ireland and has traced his family back to Faolan MacMathghamhna (Felim/Phelan MacMahon), who lived in the early 12th century.

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Origin of the Three Collas

The origin of the Three Collas is unknown. The traditional explanation, disproved by DNA analysis as shown below, is that the Three Collas are descended from the kings of Ireland and are cousins, twice removed of Niall of the Nine Hostages. The alternative explanation is that the Three Collas were not descended from the kings of Ireland and were not related to Niall of the Nine Hostages. This is consistent with the DNA fuindings in the study above. In an article in 1998, Donald M. Schlegel suggested that the Three Collas were Romanized Britons from the Trinovantes tribe of Celts that was located in Colchester, England.

Stone of Destiny, where Kings of Ireland were crowned in a fort on the Hill of Tara, County Meath.

Traditional Explanation or Origin. In 1892, genealogist John O'Hart (1824-1902) published a two-volume book entitled Irish Pedigrees; or, the Origin and Stem of the Irish Nation. Copies of these volumes at the University of Michigan were digitized by Google in June 2008: Volume I and Volume II. On page 575 of Volume II, O'Hart says the Three Collas invaded Ulster, conquered the country, and there formed for themselves and their posterity, the Kingdom of Orgiall (latinized Orgallia), sometimes called Oriel, and Uriel.

The Three Collas were the sons of Eochaid Dublein, who was the younger son of Cairbre Lificar, the 117th King of Ireland. The older son, Fiacha Sraibtine, was the 120th King of Ireland. The Three Collas waged war against their uncle Fiacha Sraibhtine and slew him in the battle of Dubhcomar, AD 322. Colla Uais then ascended the throne as the 121st King of Ireland. In AD 326, he was deposed by Muredach Tirech, son of Fiacha Sraibtine. Muredach Tirech then banished to Scotland the Three Collas and their principal chiefs, to the number of three hundred; but through the influence of the King of Alba, and the mediation of the Druids, they were afterwards pardoned by the Irish King, who cordially invited them to return to Ireland, and received them into great favor.

The Three Collas are a separate line from Niall of the Nine Hostages. Both are descended from Conn of the Hundred Battles and the Milesian Kings.

An Irish priest, Geoffrey Keating (1569-1644), had this to say in Book I, Section XLVII (pages 358 and 359) of The History of Ireland, translated into English by David Comyn and Patrick S. Dinneen:

It is at Cairbre Lithfeachair that the Oirghialla—that is, the family of the Collas—separate in their pedigree from the clanna Neill and the Connachtaigh. And Fiachaidh Sraibhthine son of Cairbre Lithfeachair was grandfather of Eochaidh Muighmheadhon son of Muireadhach Tireach, son of Fiachaidh Sraibhthine; and it is from this Muireadhach that the clanna Neill and the men of Connaught are descended. Eochaidh Doimhlean son of Cairbre Lithfeachair was brother to Fiachaidh Sraibhthine; and this Eochaidh had three sons, to wit, the three Collas, and from these are descended the Ui Mac Uais, the Ui Criomhthainn, and the Modhornaigh. The real names of the three Collas referred to were Cairioll, Muireadhach, and Aodh.

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Colla Versus Niall DNA. Traditionally, the Three Collas were considered to be descended from the same ancestors as Niall of the Nine Hostages. DNA testing of present-day descendants of the Niall and the Collas, however, indicates that they were not related. A group of 145 descendants of Niall of the Nine Hostages has a mean genetic distance of 26 from the Colla Modal DNA. The range of genetic distances is 18 to 34. This demonstrates that the Three Collas could not have been related to Niall of the Nine Hostages as traditionally thought. For more details on the Niall of the Nine Hostages Group, see Reference Group Detail.

The table below compares the Colla modal used here with the modal for Niall of the Nine Hostages, also called R-L222 or Northwest Irish (see M5UKQ). Differences are highlighted.

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Alternative Explanation of Origin. Donald Schlegel has proposed an alternate explanation of the origin of the Three Collas. He starts by saying that the Collas are perhaps the only instance in prehistoric or early histori Ireland of three brothers having each a personal name, a name incommon, and an epithet. The implication is that such a naming convention must have been imported, and the obvious source is the Roman Empire. He suggests they were not descended from Irish Kings but instead were Romanized Britons, originating in the Celtic tribe named Trinovantes from Colchester, the oldest recorded Roman town in England. They received military training from the Romans and eventually went to Ireland as mercenaries in the service of the King of Ireland. Don presented this theory in the 1998 Clogher Record. It is one of the many articles he has had published in the Clogher Record, a local history journal published annually since 1953 by the Clogher Historical Society at St. Macartan's College in the townland of Mullaghmurphy on the outskirts of the town of Monaghan, County Monaghan.

See The Clogher Record, "The Origin of the Three Collas and the Fall of Emain," by Donald M. Schlegel, Volume XVI, No. 2, 1998, pp. 159-181. Also see The Clogher Record, "Reweaving the Tapestry of Ancient Ulster," by Donald M. Schlegel, Volume XVII, No. 3, 2002, pp. 689-749.

The first part of this alternative explanation is consistent with DNA results. Descendants of the Three Collas have a unique DNA which is significantly different from the DNA of descendants of Niall of the Nine Hostages. So, it seems pretty clear that the Three Collas were not cousins of Muredach Tirech, 122nd King of Ireland and grandfather of Niall of the Nine Hostages.

The second part of this alternative explanation has not been verified yet by DNA. We have not found a family that matches Clan Colla DNA and traces itself back to the area around Colchester. There are, however, two families that match Clan Colla DNA and trace themselves back to towns that had Roman settlements in Wales on the west of England.

• The Calkins family matches Clan Colla and traces itself back to Chester, England, on the northern border with Wales near Deva, a town occupied by the Cornovii, a Celtic tribe, and where the Roman city of Viroconium Cornoviorum was from 70 AD to 410 AD.
• The Roderick family matches Clan Colla and traces itself back to southern Wales near Caerleon, a town occupied by the Silures, a Celtic tribe, and where the Roman city of Isca Silurum was from 75 AD to 410 AD.

As shown in the study above, there are a number of people, like the Calkins and Roderick families, with DNA similar to the descendants of the Three Collas who do not have the surnames of the descendants. These people could be descendants of cousins of the Three Collas who remained in Briton or went elsewhere, and evolved their own unique surnames. Some of these people may be descendants of the Three Collas who were adopted by a non-Collas or simply had their names changed over time. And, the historical lists of Colla descendants may well be incomplete.

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McDonald 44 Generations from Colla

One of the McDonalds in this study can trace his ancestry back to Colla Uais, 121st King of Ireland, 323 AD to 326. He is Frank Everett McDonald, Jr., a retired dairy farmer from the Blue Ridge Mountains of Virginia. He was born there in 1926. His FTDNA kit is #133546. The genetic distance of 67 markers of his Y-chromosome DNA from the Colla Modal DNA is 8. He participates in the Clan Colla 425 Null DNA Project.

Frank has 44 generations back to Colla Uais, as shown on the right. Included among the 44 generations are the following six:

• 1. Colla Uais, 121st King of Ireland, 323 AD to 326
• 15. Somerled (Sorley), AD 1140, the eighth and greatest Thane of Argyle, lord of Cantyre, lord of the Hebrides, founder of the "Kingdom of the Isles"
• 16. Randal, lord of Oergeal and Cantyre; founder of the Cistercian Monastery, and benefactor of the Abbey of Paisley
• 22. Aeneas Oge MacDonnell, lord of the Isles, fought at the Battle of Bannockburn, AD 1314, on the side of Robert Bruce, King of Scotland
• 37. Lieutenant Brian McDonald, who served in an Irish Volunteer Regiment in the cause of King James II. In 1691, after that cause was lost, he emigrated to America
• 44. Frank Everett McDonald, Jr.; born in Virginia in 1926; married Betty Jean Verna in 1951; FTDNA kit #133546

• 1892 Irish Pedigrees; or, the Origin and Stem of the Irish Nation, Volume I, by John O'Hart for generations 1 to 37
  • MacDonnell of Antrim, for generations 1 to 26 (85 to 110 on pages 527-531)
  • MacDonnell of Leinster, for generations 27 to 34 (111 to 118 on pages 534-536)
  • McDonald of Wicklow, for generations 35 to 37 (119 to 121 on page 525)
• 1879 Contributions to the Early History of Bryan McDonald and Family, by Frank V. McDonald for generation 37
• 1840-1930 U. S. Censuses:
  • Montgomery County, Virginia: 1840-1, 1840-2, 1850, 1860, 1870, and 1880 for generations 41 and 42
  • Salem, Roanoke County, Virginia: 1880 for generation 42
  • Chamblissburg, Bedford County, Virginia: 1900, 1910, and 1920 for generations 42 and 43
  • Roanoke Creek, Big Lick District, Virginia: 1930 for generations 43 and 44
• 1938 Kegley's Virginia Frontier, pages 199-201 and 504-505, for generations 38 to 41
• 2007 Genealogy by Verna McDonald Shuey, for generations 37 to 44.

The genealogy and DNA of Frank E. McDonald, Jr., were brought to our attention by Vaden McDonald.

See also

• "McDonnell of Antrim", Wikipedia
• Clan Donald DNA Project. See the DNA results for haplogroup R1b, magenta and pale violet subgroups, where Frank Edward McDonald, Jr. is F. McDonald, Clan Donald code &NHHMM, Ysearch code X8TWS
• The MacDonnell Family of Leinster, 1100 AD to 1707

The 1892 book by John O'Hart, Irish Pedigrees; or, the Origin and Stem of the Irish Nation, Volume I, includes the following note about MacDonnell of Antrim on pages 527-528:

In Connellan's Four Masters it is said:—Some of the ancestors of the tribe "Clan Colla" having gone from Ulster in remote times, settled in Scotland, chiefly in Argyle, and the Hebrides, and according to Lodge's Peerage on the MacDonnells, earls of Antrim, they became the most numerous and powerful clan in the Highlands of Scotland, where they were generally called MacDonalds. In the reign of Malcolm the Fourth, king of Scotland, in the 12th ceutuary, Samhairle (Somerled, or Sorley) MacDonnell was Thane of Argyle, and his descendants were styled lords of the Isles or Hebrides, and lords of Cantyre; and were allied by intermarriages with the Norwegian earls of the Orkneys, Hebrides, and Isle of Man. The MacDonnells continued for many centuries to make a conspicuous figure in the history of Scotland, as one of the most valiant and powerful clans in that country. Some chiefs of these MacDonnells came to Ireland in the beginning of the thirteenth century; the first of them mentioned in the Annals of the Four Masters being the sons of Randal, son of Sorley MacDonnell, the Thane or Baron of Argyle above mentioned; and they, accompanied by Thomas MacUchtry (MacGuthrie or MacGuttry), a chief from Galloway, came, A.D. 1211, with seventy-six ships and powerful forces to Derry; they plundered several parts of Derry and Donegal, and fresh forces of these Scots having arrived at various periods, they made some settlements in Antrim, and continued their piratical expeditions along the coasts of Ulster. The MacDonnells settled chiefly in those districts called the Routes and Glynnes, in the territory of ancient Dalriada, in Antrim; and they had their chief fortress at Dunluce. They became very powerful, and formed alliances by marriage with the Irish princes and chiefs of Ulster; as the O'Neills of Tyrone and Clanaboy, the O'Donnells of Donegal, the O'Kanes of Derry, the MacMahons of Monaghan, etc. The MacDonnells carried on long and fierce contests with the MacQuillans, powerful chiefs in Antrim, whom they at length totally vanquished in the 16th century; and seized on their lands and their chief fortress of Dunseverick, near the Giant's Causeway. The MacDonnells were celebrated commanders of galloglasses in Ulster and Connaught, and make a remarkable figure in Irish history, in the various wars and battles, from the thirteenth to the seventeenth century, and particularly in the reign of Elizabeth; they were sometimes called "Clan Donnells," and by gome of the English writers "MacConnells." The MacAlustrums or MacAllisters of Scotland and Ireland were a branch of the MacDonnells, and took their name from one of their chiefs named Alastrum or Alexander; and as the name "Sandy" or "Saunders" is a contraction of "Alexander" some of MacAllisters have anglicised their names "Saunderson." The MacSheehys, according to Lodge, were also a branch of the MacDonnells, who came from Scotland to Ireland; and they also were celebrated commanders of galloglasses, particularly in Munster, under the FitzGeralds, earls of Desmond, Sir Randal MacDonnell, son of Sorley Buighe (Buighe: Irish, yellow), son of Alexander, was created earl of Antrim, by King James the first.

Patrick McMahon has identified a Colla Subgroup of 7 Colla descendants who have similar DNA: Frank McDonald, two other McDonalds, three McDaniel, and an Edwards. The subgroup has values of 12, 14, and 14 for Markers 439, 437, and 446. The modal values for Clan Colla are 13, 15, and 13. The genetic distances amongst the 7 people average 3.8. (Patrick refers to the subgroup as McDaniel 2.)

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Joseph Donohoe Study

In August 2009, Joseph Donohoe reported on the DNA of descendants of the Three Collas in his Breifne Clans DNA Report 5, Subgroup O1, posted at Donohoe Clan. He independently came up with essentially the same group as the Colla Group above, which he calls "Subgroup O1." As part of his study, Joseph established a modal DNA for his Subgroup O1 under the user ID of WHYAA at Ysearch. It is the same as the DURRQ modal used here, but he calls it an Airghialla rather than a Colla Modal because he is "not fully persuaded yet of the validity or applicability of the Colla tradition, particularly in view of the great number of traditionally Colla surnames not represented here."

To test the validity of Subgroup O1, Joseph came up with a second group called "Subgroup P1," which has Maguires, a few other nonmatching Colla surnames, as well as many non-Colla surnames (Byrne, Garvey, Corrigan, Plunkett, McCown, etc.). As part of his study, Joseph established a modal DNA for his Subgroup P1 under the user ID of 9U5BW at Ysearch.

In comparing Subgroups O1 and P1 on page 184 of the report, Joseph says that Subgroup O1 "appears to have been prominent in the South Tyrone – North Monaghan area from the sixth century, if not earlier," while Subgroup P1 "rose to historical prominence later . . . in the ninth century." He concludes that Subgroup O1 "would appear to be the best candidate" to represent the DNA of the Three Collas. His Subgroup P1 is now included in our Reference Group.

Joseph himself is a descendant of Niall of the Nine Hostages, also called R-L222 or Northwest Irish, and is included under that heading in our Reference Group below.

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FTDNA R-L21 DNA Project

A R-L21 project and R-L21 Walk Through the Y project have been set up for people whose DNA type is R-L21 (also called R1b1b2a1b5). This type includes Clan Colla DNA and and other subgroups. The purpose of the project is to find a special identifying a SNP (single-nucleotide polymorphism) for subgroups of R-L21. SNPs are very difficult to find. This effort is being directed and managed by Dr. Thomas Krahn, Technical Laboratory Manager of FTDNA's Genomics Research Center in Houston, Texas.

Four groups within R-L21 are outlined below. Based on rough estimates, these four groups constitute less than 10% of R-L21.

The genetic distances between the modal DNAs of the four groups listed above is shown in the following table.

A good presentation of the origins, age, spread, and ethnic association of Europeans can be found at Eupedia. A Discussion Group has been set up for the R-L21 project at Yahoo Groups. Included is a spreadsheet compiled by Michael Walsh that identifies Clan Colla members.

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