The true origin of the Irish has been uncovered, and the results may shock many.
The Irish, as it turns out, descend from farming peoples in the Middle East and metalworkers hailing from the Black Sea region, a genetic study has revealed.
Using advanced genome-sequencing techniques to trace the origins of ancient Irish population from a variety of eras, it has transpired that mass migrations into Ireland occurred through the ages.
These migrations brought radical cultural and technolgical changes, such as a move into settled farming communities and the advent of metal work.
DNA tests carried out on three individuals found on Rathlin Island about 4,000 years ago found interesting genetic traits, such as a global high point for the variants that code for lactose tolerance, the western European Y chromosome type, and crucially, several important genetic flaws including haemochromatosis, or excessive iron retention, which is a very common disorder among modern day Irish population sometimes referred to as the “Celtic Curse”. Indeed, the incidence of this disease among the Irish is the highest in the world.
And up to this point, the true origins of such traits were unknown.
So now you know where you came from.