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Mormon prophet Joseph Smith Jr.,was definitely descended from Niall of the Nine Hostages, an Irish chieftain of the fifth century, Ugo Perego, a senior DNA researcher at Sorenson Molecular Genealogy Foundation has discovered.

Seeing Niall's popularity among the nobles, Mongfind demands that Eochaid name a successor, hoping it will be one of her sons. Eochaid gives the task to a druid, Sithchenn, who devises a contest between the brothers, shutting them in a burning forge, telling them to save what they can, and judging them based on which objects they choose to save. Niall, who emerges carrying an anvil, is deemed greater than Brión, with a sledgehammer, Fiachrae with bellows and a pail of beer, Ailill with a chest of weapons, and Fergus with a bundle of wood. Mongfind refuses to accept the decision.

Sithchenn takes the brothers to the smith, who makes them weapons, and sends them out hunting. Each brother in turn goes looking for water, and finds a well guarded by a hideous hag who demands a kiss in return for water. Fergus and Ailill refuse and return empty-handed. Fiachrae gives her a quick peck, but not enough to satisfy her. Only Niall kisses her properly, and she is revealed as a beautiful maiden, the Sovereignty of Ireland.

Early in 2006, geneticists at Trinity College, Dublin suggested that Niall may have been the most fecund male in Irish history. Of their Irish sample, the geneticists found that 21 percent of men from north-western Ireland, 8 percent from all of Ireland, a substantial percentage of men from western and central Scotland, and about 2 percent of men from New York bore the same Y-chromosome haplotype. The geneticists estimated that about 2–3 million men bear this marker, and concluded that these men are patrilineal descendants of Niall. According to Finding Your Roots, Niall of the Nine Hostages' descendents include Bill O'Reilly, Bill Maher, and Henry Louis Gates.

RockSlider wrote:Sometimes I look at individuals and ask. How the hell does one get a job like that?

But one story not told to most Irish elementary schoolchildren was Niall’s prolificacy.

When it came to the bedroom, it seems that Niall of the Nine Hostages was even more fearless and energetic than he was on the battlefield.

"So why is Joseph Smith more Irish?" Perego said. "We have more STR data available for Joseph Smith. We have more STR data available for Niall of the Nine Hostages. And the number of STR values matching has also increased. . . . A stronger connection. A more sure family relation."

I have a question wrote:When you follow the links....

But one story not told to most Irish elementary schoolchildren was Niall’s prolificacy.

When it came to the bedroom, it seems that Niall of the Nine Hostages was even more fearless and energetic than he was on the battlefield.

It must run in the genes.

deacon blues wrote:This would indicate that members of the tribe of Ephraim, yea, even the son of Joseph of old were led to the Emerald Isle.

Kishkumen wrote:I guess I am not there with you. Would I want Ugo Perego's job? Not particularly. For one thing, I would not want my public profile, even within the LDS community, so tied to Joseph Smith's DNA or Nephite/Lamanite DNA. It seems to me that, while these are interesting questions, particularly the former, they are tied up so much in people's dearly held beliefs, about which they can become very passionate. So, would I want to be the person who is looked to to not disappoint you regarding Joseph Smith's seed or the existence of Book of Mormon peoples? No, not really. That sounds like a major pain in the caboose.