Happy New Year!

I think we can still just about get away with saying that.

And as we start 2016, the Y-DNA results of two new members have just been posted (see the previous blog post). Four additional members tested their Y-DNA over Christmas and we can expect these results to trickle in over the course of the next several weeks. Four of these six new members have Irish ancestry and therefore are likely to belong to Lineage II or III, and two have New England ancestry and therefore likely to belong to Lineage I. But who knows? Maybe we will discover an entirely new Lineage and some of the singletons in the "Ungrouped" cluster will suddenly be paired up with a new genetic cousin in their very own new lineage. Time will tell.

There is something else to look forward to. Thanks to the FTDNA Christmas Sale, several members ordered the Big Y test - from both Lineage I and Lineage II, so we have 3 new sets of results to look forward to, bringing the grand total to 9 in Lineage II and 3 in Lineage I. This may reveal the origins of Lineage I and will help further delineate the branching pattern in Lineage II. Even as I write the first two sets of results have come in, earlier than expected!

In addition, some members have upgraded their results to 67 or 111 markers. This will add a degree of detail to their Y-DNA profile which may very well help delineate their relative position on the Mutation History Tree for Lineage II.

So all in all, we are going to have a very busy and a very exciting start to 2016.

Further down the line, from August 19-24, we are having a Gleeson Clan Gathering in Nenagh, Co. Tipperary. Everyone is welcome, whether you're a Gleason, Gleeson, Glisson, or simply want to be. Several people from Lineage I and Lineage II have already signed up. We have a mixture of lectures, tours, excursions, & social gatherings, so if you ever wanted to visit Ireland, now would be an excellent time to go. The Gathering has its own dedicated website so feel free to take a look around and be sure to book early as there are limited spaces available. Please note that the focus of the Gathering will be on the Gleeson's of Irish origin but everyone and anyone is welcome to attend.

Here's to a prosperous and productive New Year, everyone!

Judith Claassen

Maurice Gleeson

Jan 2016