The O’Leary DNA Test Project.
What on
earth is DNA you might ask.
DNA (deoxyribonucleic acid) is defined as
“The main constituent of the chromosomes of all
organisms -- in the form of a double helix.
It is self replicating and is responsible
for the transmission of hereditary
characteristics.”
In layman’s terms, it is the structure
within your cells which determines all your
human characteristics such as the colour of your
eyes, your hair and your skin.
It is the formula which makes you unique
and easily identified as a special individual
person.
Since
1984, when it was discovered, there has been
much use made of DNA in forensic work, to the
point where Courts all over the World are
beginning to accept DNA as sound proof when left
by a murderer or attacker at the place of his
crime.
You have probably seen the film or read
the book.
The murderer commits his crime, but
leaves evidence on his victim’s body of his own
blood or other bodily fluids.
The detective spots these stains and has
them analysed in the police laboratory.
The police laboratory has an identical
match in it’s existing records, and the police
go round next day to arrest the murderer.
I use
the word “police” advisedly.
Such activity would normally take place
in the
Today we
are beginning to see another extension of the
use of DNA to Genealogy. This is because each
individual person has a chromosome pattern which
is unique to him and his immediate forbears, and
if found in two people links them genealogically
to a very precise
and determinable degree.
Any man’s natural
son will probably have a chromosome
pattern which is identical to his father’s.
That word “probably” is important, but we
are talking about, say, a 95% probability or
higher.
Equally
any man’s grandson will probably have a
chromosome pattern which is identical to his
grandfather.
But now the probability will be slightly
less than the previous case.
You get the picture.
As the number of generations between you
and your forbear increase, so the probability of
an exact match begins to decrease.
At some point there will be a mutation or
change in one element of the pattern.
Whereas previously there was a 26/26
match, this will now decrease to 25/26.
This means 25 of the characteristics in
the 26 in the male chromosome will be identical,
but one will be different.
In these
early days in its genealogical use, we are
mainly concerned with the testing of the male
y-chromosome.
This is quite appropriate since most
serious genealogical work is also confined to
the male paternal line of a family.
DNA
Projects involve testing members of one family,
e.g., the male members of a Clan such as the
(O)Learys where all those tested and compared
are men born with the (O)Leary name.
There
are not many laboratories yet in the World set
up to carry out such work. What is needed and
will eventually arise, are central data banks of
information containing the data of a population.
At present such data banks are normally only
available as police or hospital records. We are
using an organisation called Relative Genetics
from
has
become virtually the centre of World
conventional genealogy due to the efforts of the
Mormon Church.
Our Team
Leader is Bonnie Norma O’Leary Harvey from
The
small pilot scheme has involved about 22
interested men, all (O)Learys, of whom 12 have
their test results, and a few more will follow
later.
It is a very small sample, but has proved
successful, and will become even more so, as and
when the sample size is increased.
The
results have been amazing.
One of the 12 turned out to be from a
totally unrelated family group.
Two others have a 26/26 result ie. are
closely related within the past 5 generations, a
fact they did not know.
4 others have more distant relationships
established.
Only 5 were not proven to have
such a relationship yet, but one could
well be established in the future as further
results come in.
The
costs of joining the Tests are $195 which might
have put off some possible entrants.
These costs should come down in the
future.
Others who paid up, regard this cost as
trivial compared to what they have spent, and
wasted, over past years in trying out the
established and conventional resources, such as
searching for birth, baptism, marriage and death
records.
Churches only started keeping such
records
in the period 1775-1825.
State official records usually start in
about 1865.
In the early days of these records,
whether church or state, the quality is poor and
many records are missing, damaged or destroyed.
In any case, most of us want to go back
much further than this, since even 1775 only
represents about six generations.
The
actual test itself is a swab in the mouth which
is painless and done by yourself and in the
privacy of your own home. Everyone interested in
a serious, fool-proof determination of
where they fit into their family tree, should
seriously consider joining an appropriate DNA
Test Project as soon as one becomes available.
If one is not available yet, how about
starting one up.
You will probably never regret it.