Blood brothers: Irish have better odds of donor match

IRELAND’S diaspora have spread Irish culture and customs far and wide, but they may also have dispersed a life-saving legacy.

Irish blood is now so widely distributed that it can be a help in finding a match for patients awaiting bone marrow transplants.

Professor Paul Browne of Trinity College Dublin said: “I’ve been told, for example, that if you’re in Australia and you need to have a transplant, you’re best off having an Irish pedigree because it will be easier to find a match.”