Are you a Gael, a Celt, a Viking or British? Ireland’s DNA revealed by region

Are you a Gael, a Celt, a Viking or British? According to a new study, it may depend on where you live in Ireland.

The first genetic map of the Irish reveals geographic clusters that reflect the impact of immigration, invasion, and plantation. Seven of those clusters show Gaelic ancestry, aligned with the borders of ancient kingdoms, while three show a shared ancestry with the British.

Researchers led by the Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland (RCSI) and the Genealogical Society of Ireland (GSI) have published ‘The Irish DNA Atlas: Revealing Fine-Scale Population Structure and History within Ireland’ in the journal, Scientific Reports.