Who do you think you are? is a new multi-year partnership between CCGBC Museum Services, CCGBC Good Relations, Carey Historical Society, Glens of Antrim Historical Society, and the Rathlin Development and Community Association. It will exploring identity and culture in Rathlin and the Glens of Antrim through oral histories, DNA testing to establish genetic ancestry estimates, genealogical research and historical investigations, all leading to a showcase exhibition.

To kickstart the programme, the leading expert of ancient Irish DNA,  Professor Daniel Bradley (Trinity College Dublin), will give a free public talk introducing the subject of ancient DNA and show how it can be used to find out more about our human past.

Who do we think we are? Ancient genomes and Irish origins

Dan Bradley will explain how human genetics can be used to understand better the patterns and processes underlying genetic variations which exist on our island. Ancient DNA is now an archaeological tool, enabling genetic postcoding of discoveries of human remains and is helping to rewrite the history of Europeans.  Our first sequencing of ancient genomes from the British Isles were of samples from the North East of Ireland, Ballynahatty Co Down and Rathlin Island. These showed that the great waves of people movements in Northern Europe washed all the way to our island.

The talk is free and will be presented on the following dates. There will be light refreshments, so please let us know if you’re planning on coming along:

• Monday 2^nd December – 7.30pm, Branson Centre, Rathlin Island 

• Tuesday 3^rd December – 7.30pm, Cushendun Old Church, Cushendun

For more information on the project, contact Museum Services at cms@causewaycoastandglens.gov.uk