Press question mark to learn the rest of the keyboard shortcuts. Niall was the founder of the most powerful Irish royal dynasty as his descendants ruled Ireland for the 6 centuries after his death. Niall Nogallach ( pronounced [nil noilx]; Old Irish "having nine hostages "), [1] or Niall of the Nine Hostages, was a legendary, semi-historical Irish king who was the ancestor of the U Nill dynasties that dominated Ireland from the 6th to the 10th centuries. He ruled Ireland in the fifth century and was said to have consolidated his power by leading raids on the Roman Empire, taking hostages from rival royal families in Britain and . xenophon agesilaus summary; three centuries of Irish emigration to North America. Niall succeeds to the High Kingship, and Brin becomes his second in command. Niall of the Nine Hostages. Niall Nogallach (Old Irish for "having nine hostages"), or in English, Niall of the Nine Hostages, was a prehistoric Irish king, the ancestor of the U Nill dynasties that dominated the northern half of Ireland from the 6th to the 10th century. We've all technically got "common ancestor" with Niall because we've all got a common paternal ancestor. Niall's legendary military skill was on a par with his sexual prowess. His father, Eochaid Muig Medon, son of Muiredeach, became Ard Rich mid way of the fourth century. distinguish one line of DNA from another. Its guidance will be useful to any researcher of Irish heritage, but especially for the target Irish-American researcher who's struggling to work back to Ireland from their immigrant ancestor. Niall of the Nine Hostages , or Niall Nigiallach, was the youngest son of Eochaidh Mugmedon (King of Connacht). 15 ratings6 reviews. Keating, quoting a Latin Life of Saint Patrick, says that Niall led Irish raids on Roman Britain, and in one of those raids Patrick and his sisters were abducted. [3]:81, Niall is placed in the traditional list of High Kings of Ireland. 1) GENEALOGY: Royal Ancestors of Magna Charta Barons; Page 145; G929.72; C6943ra; Denver Public Library; Genealogy, Niall Mor, "Naill of the Nine Hostages, " 126th King of Ireland. Seeing Niall's popularity among the nobles, Mongfind demands that Eochaid name a successor, hoping it will be one of her sons. [7 ] Another version has Mongfind try to poison Niall, but she takes the poison herself by mistake. The story then becomes confused. In the saga "The Death of Niall of the Nine Hostages", Eochaid's enmity with Niall begins when he is refused hospitality by Niall's poet, Laidcenn mac Bairchid. My father was born in Hungary, how common is this haplogroup for those with eastern european ancestry? The story then becomes confused. [6], http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Niall_of_the_Nine_Hostages. [ 11] Keating says that he received five from the five provinces of Ireland, and four from Scotland. [8], Niall is presumed, on the basis of the importance of his sons and grandsons, to have been a historical person,[4]:70 but the early Irish annals say little about him. 5 Reply [deleted] 4 yr. ago Oh, got it. He died in a raid on Roman France in 405 AD. Just how extensive an area he may have dominated is not recorded but he If Patrick was not this person, he would have lived shortly thereafter. Not sure how to get the raw data file form 23andMe though? [3] These sons are the eponymous ancestors of the various U Nill dynasties: Egan of the Cenl nEgain and Conall Gulban of the Cenl Conaill, making up the northern U Nill; Fiachu of the Cenl Fiachach dynasty, Legaire (the king who Saint Patrick is said to have converted) of the Cenl Legaire, Maine of the U Maine, Egan of the Cenl nEgain, Conall Gulban of the Cenl Conaill, Conall Cremthainne of the Clann Cholmin and the Sl nedo Sline, and Coirpre of the Cenl Coirpri, making up the southern U Nill. Over the generations, a genetic Take a look inside Dublin's most stylish townhouse, Number 31, Irish songs to avoid this St. Patricks Day, JFK's words remind us of the true meaning of St. Patrick's Day. Some of these sailors probably migrated to Cornwall, and later to south-eastern Ireland where they became known as the Venii and grew in power. The child was rescued by a great poet of that time, Torna, who reared and educated him. Create an account to follow your favorite communities and start taking part in conversations. [7], The Lebor Gabla renn says there was war between Niall and nnae Cennsalach, king of Leinster, over the brama or cow-tribute first imposed on Leinster by Tuathal Techtmar. We studied if there was any association between those surnames and the genetic profile. Crypto [5], This "loathly lady" motif appears in myth and folklore throughout the world. the brothers, Fergus, goes off to look for water and comes upon an ugly hag. [6], However, the early annals record the activities of his sons between 429 and 516, an implausibly long time-span for a single generation, leading scholars like Kathleen Hughes[4] and Francis J. Byrne[3]:7879 to conclude that the events of the later half of the 5th century have been extended backwards to accommodate as early a date as possible for the arrival of Saint Patrick, with the effect of pushing Niall back up to half a century. The sources for the details of Niall's life are genealogies of historical kings, the "Roll of Kings" section of the Lebor Gabla renn, Irish annals such as the Annals of the Four Masters, chronicles such as Geoffrey Keating's Foras Feasa ar irinn, and legendary tales like "The Adventure of the Sons of Eochaid Mugmedon" and "The Death of Niall of the Nine Hostages". Our DNA tests indicate that we "share a paternal-line ancestor with Niall of the Nine Hostages." According to 23andMe.com, "The spread of haplogroup R-M269 in northern Ireland and Scotland was likely aided by men like Niall of the Nine The findings of the study showed that within the north-west of Ireland as many as 21% of men (8% in the general male population) were concluded to have a common male-line ancestor who lived roughly 1,700 years ago. century. [7]:216217 Keating describes her not as a Saxon but as the "daughter of the king of Britain". [3] Laidchenn responds by satirising Leinster so that no corn, grass or leaves grow there for a year. When Niall grows up he returns to Tara and rescues his mother from her labour. Irish Mythology https://bit.ly/irish_myth_online_courseBrehon Law https://bit.ly/brehon_law_online_courseEarly Irish Culture and Society https://bit.ly/cultu. By rejecting non-essential cookies, Reddit may still use certain cookies to ensure the proper functionality of our platform. the way of these old tales, she's not just unattractive, she's positively 1 Reply Ziff-A-Dee-Dew-Law 4 yr. ago [19], Following a 2006 hypothesis by Moore et al. Of Niall's youth there are many legends, but one in particular show the working of his destiny. According to legend, Niall led one of the most powerful and enduring Irish kingdoms and it has been suggested that because of high rates of Irish emigration to North America and other parts of the world, up to two or three million men descend from Niall! For more information, please see our When Niall grows up he returns to Tara and rescues his mother from her labour. Then Niall makes war against Leinster, and peace is concluded on the condition that Eochaid is handed over. If 23andMe says you're M222+, that part is not BS. By rejecting non-essential cookies, Reddit may still use certain cookies to ensure the proper functionality of our platform. Niall makes war in Europe as far as the Alps, and the Romans send an ambassador to parlay with him. certainty, even if its founder is not. According to National Geographic, the Mayo County Council hosted the Genographic Project for the Gathering under the theme of diaspora and cultural exchange. tales as these old hag transformed by physical intimacy of a young man are Niall releases Fiachrae, who becomes king of Connacht and Niall's right hand man. For more information, please see our Joined then by the Irish in Alba, he marched against the Picts, overcame them, took hostages from them and had Argyle and Cantire settled upon the Albanach Irish. "Tara is a prehistoric burial site in County Meath, famed as the legendary capital of the high kings of Ireland, and a holy site for thousands of years. Legend has it that it was Niall of the Nine Hostages who, on a raid in Wales, captured a young slave and brought him to Ireland. [7], This "loathly lady" motif appears in myth and folklore throughout the world. [3] However, the traditional roll of kings and its chronology is now recognised as artificial. Nearly 37 million Americans claim to have Irish heritage according to a national survey conducted in 2009. The Annals of Inisfallen date his death before 382, and the Chronicon Scotorum to 411. In 405 he led an expedition against Britain, where it is rumored that he may have captured a young Romano-British boy named Patricus, son of Calpurnius, a local magistrate. The Annals of the Four Masters place Niall's death at Muir nIcht, i.e. Boyle, Bradley, Campbell, Cannon, Coleman, Connor, Devlin, Doherty, Donnell, Brin defeats Fiachrae and hands him over as a prisoner to Niall, but Fiachrae's son Nath continues the war and eventually kills Brin. There is a similarity in both names that it is likely it is the same person. Mongfind, purporting to make peace between her brother and her sons, holds a feast, at which she serves Crimthann a poisoned drink. McEvoy states: "As in other polygynous societies, the siring of offspring was related to power and prestige." Fiachrae gives her a quick peck, but not enough to satisfy her. Autosomal DNA, which is what we use to measure percentages of ethnicity, only has strong relevance for about 6-10 generations back. Yet how often out of evil cometh good. Categories . So how do you know if you have Irish ancestry? For it is said his was the host referred to by the Roman poet, Claudian, when in praising the Roman general, Stilicho, he says Britain was protected by this bold general. 2) 1. When he had reached budding manhood, Torna brought him back to court to take his rightful place - much to his father's joy. Niall makes war in Europe as far as the Alps, and the Romans send an ambassador to parlay with him. [9] He is succeeded by his nephew Nath . The association with Niall is based on an outdated study that noted many M222 men have surnames that supposedly come from Niall or his descendants. Ireland's five ancient provinces (Connaught, Munster, Leinster, Ulster and His men carry his body home, fighting seven battles on the way, and his foster-father Torna dies of grief. Abruptly, the tale then has Niall appearing before an assembly of Pictish bards in Scotland, where he is killed by an arrow shot by Eochaid from the other side of the valley. The less [2] The chronology of Keating's Foras Feasa ar irinn broadly agrees, dating his reign from 368-395, and associating his raiding activities in Britain with the kidnapping ofSaint Patrick (ca. [13] He is succeeded by his nephew Nath . Byrne suggests that Niall's death took place during a raid on Roman Britain. (21%). the sea between France and England. According to McVoy this area was the main powerbase of the Ui Neill kings, which literally translated means "descendants of Niall". Editors note: This post has been edited to reflect changes to the 23andMe ancestry product. He then kills Laidchenn by throwing a stone which lodges in his forehead. Medb, for example, was said to have participated in a ritual union with nine of the high kings, preventing the rule of any candidates who refused to mate with her. Keating, quoting a Latin Life of Saint Patrick, says that Niall led Irish raids on Roman Britain, and in one of those raids Patrick and his sisters were abducted. powerful people who controlled an area loosely centred on present-day Armagh They defeat him and win great spoil, but Fiachrae is wounded in the battle and dies of his wounds shortly afterwards. Journal reference: American Journal of Human Genetics (February issue). Irish tradition had forgotten that the Romans once ruled Britain, and relocated his remembered confrontations with the Empire to continental Europe, with Alba, the ancient name for Britain, being confused with Elpa, the Alps, or being understood with its later meaning of Scotland. People move. Niall was said to have ruled over Tara, but modern historians think it more likely that Tara was founded by Niall's decendents, and that Niall himself actually set up his kingdom at Uisnech, another "royal hill". Annals of the Kingdom of Ireland by the Four Masters, from the Earliest Period to the Year 1616, eDIL: electronic Dictionary of the Irish Language, Aided Chrimthainn meic Fhidaig 7 Tr Mac Echach Muigmedin, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Niall_of_the_Nine_Hostages&oldid=1139858317. 'The Gathering is a reunion of clans so to speak. The Annals of Inisfallen date his death before 382, and the Chronicon Scotorum to 411. He then kills Laidchenn by throwing a stone which lodges in his forehead. While Cairenn is pregnant with Niall, the jealous Mongfind forces her to do heavy work, hoping to make her miscarry. mutations (changes) occur infrequently but, when they do, they help to It is now more commonly referred to as the Northwest Irish/Lowland Scots variety. Another test was provided by the Stone of Fl, which screamed when it was touched by the rightful heir. His reign dated to the late 4th and early 5th centuries. Learning about our ancestry is particularly fun when we can toast to it. He carried back hostages, many captives, and great booty from these expeditions. men who can trace their ancestry to Ireland, and especially the north of Their As Niall was his father's favorite, Mong Fionn did not rest until she had outcast him and his mother, Carthann, and made Carthann her menial, carrying water to the court. (Princess Of Britain ROIGHNEACH was born about 380. Keating credits Niall with two wives: Inne, daughter of Lugaid, who bore him one son, Fiachu; and Rignach, who bore him seven sons, Legaire, ndae, Maine, Egan, Conall Gulban, Conall Cremthainne and Coirpre. While Brian saved the cariots from the fire, Ailill a shield and a sword, Fiachra the old forge trough, and Fergus only a bundle of firewood, Niall carried out the bellows, the sledges, the anvil, and anvil block - saved the soul of the forge, and saved the smith from ruin. Niall exiles him to Scotland. But while he is away on a tour of his lands in Scotland, Mongfind's sons seize Ireland. Niall, who emerges carrying an anvil, is deemed greater than Brin, with a sledgehammer, Fiachrae with bellows and a pail of beer, Ailill with a chest of weapons, and Fergus with a bundle of wood. [9] He is succeeded by his nephew Nath . Byrne suggests that Niall's death took place during a raid on Roman Britain. [2] The chronology of Keating's Foras Feasa ar irinn broadly agrees, dating his reign from 368-395, and associating his raiding activities in Britain with the kidnapping of Saint Patrick (ca. Hughes says "Niall himself must have died not before the middle of the fifth century". Thousands of years is a long time. Niall married Princess Of Britain ROIGHNEACH. Also known as Niall of the Nine Hostages.. Almost without interruption his descendants were Ard Righs of Ireland for 600 years. [6]:216-217 Keating describes her not as a Saxon but as the "daughter of the king of Britain". Niall chains Eochaid to a standing stone, and sends nine warriors to execute him, but Eochaid breaks his chain and kills all nine of them with it. , 'The Family Tree Irish Genealogy Guide' is full of advice, tips and strategies to ease what can be a challenging journey. and our To see the names of the first thirty-five descendants from Adam, the invention of those Irish monks, go to Ancient Irish Lineage on the Our Early Family web site. The story then becomes confused. When Niall grows up he returns to Tara and rescues his mother from her labour. [4] Famous descendants include Niall's great-great grandson Saint Columba, Saint Mel Ruba, the Kings of Ailech, the Kings of Tir Eogain, and the Kings of Tr Conaill. Niall releases Fiachrae, who becomes king of Connacht and Niall's right-hand man. I'm stuck at R-P311 and 23andme gives Niall of the Nine Hostages which is flat out DUMB. She Mongfind, purporting to make peace between her brother and her sons, holds a feast, at which she serves Crimthann a poisoned drink. Scan this QR code to download the app now. Birth of Conall Gulban mac Nill, King of Tirconal, Birth of Cairbre mac Nill, High King of Ireland, 126th HIgh KIng of Ireland, Greatest High King of Ireland, aka Nial Mor NAOIGHIALLACH `of the Nine Hostages'; 1st King (but reckoned 126th MONARCH) of IRELAND; conquered nine countries (incl. His reign was epochal. The Munstermen renew the battle, capture Ailill and cut him to pieces, and war continues between Munster and Connacht for many years. In Italy the Irish were primarily found in Milan and Naples - deployed there by Spain. He estimated that two million to three million. However, the traditional roll of kings and its chronology is now recognised as artificial. [7], The Lebor Gabla renn says there was war between Niall and nnae Cennsalach, king of Leinster, over the brama or cow-tribute first imposed on Leinster by Tuathal Techtmar. [5] The later Annals of the Four Masters dates his reign to 379405,[6] and the chronology of Geoffrey Keating's Foras Feasa ar irinn to 368395. County Mayo folks have Viking blood as well as that of Niall of the Hostages. He then kills Laidchenn by throwing a stone which lodges in his forehead. Reportedly he had fair skin, hair the color of yellow primrose, and deep, blue-gray eyes. Niall established a dynasty of powerful chieftains that dominated the island for six centuries. and our They defeat him and win great spoil, but Fiachrae is wounded in the battle and dies of his wounds shortly afterwards. Although brought to Ireland against his will, the . have sex with her. He was killed in his sleep while aboard his royal galley. Niall is presumed, on the basis of the importance of his sons and grandsons, to have been a historical person,[3]:70 but the early Irish annals say little about him. There are claims that Cormac mac Art, a leading figure in the Fionn cycle, established a sumptuous court at Tara and a lavish festival was also regularly celebrated at Samhain, on 1 November. She grants Niall not only water but her name, Alexi, and the kingship for many generations twenty-six of his descendants will be High Kings of Ireland. control of all the island. Fergus and Ailill refuse and return empty-handed. Irish men would've been barred from British Military service at the time due to their religion. However, the genetic evidence of the study does seem to show that the The same area of Ireland has previously been the subject of anthropological studyand has shown a strikingly high percentage of men from Haplogroup R1b (98%) versus 90% in southeast Ireland. Talk about your genes and their possible implications! [15][16] Origin of his epithet, There are various versions of how Niall gained his epithet Nogallach. In January 2006, geneticists at Trinity College, Dublin suggested that Niall may have been the most fecund male in Irish history. Variations of this story are told of the earlier Irish high king Lugaid Logde, in Arthurian legend one of the most famous versions appears in both Geoffrey Chaucer's The Wife of Bath's Tale and the related Gawain romance, The Wedding of Sir Gawain and Dame Ragnell and in John Gower's Middle English poem Confessio Amantis. Niall chains Eochaid to a standing stone, and sends nine warriors to execute him, but Eochaid breaks his chain and kills all nine of them with it. Variations of this story are told of the earlier Irish High King Lugaid Laigde, in Arthurian legend one of the most famous versions appears in both Geoffrey Chaucer's The Wife of Bath's Tale and the related Gawain romance, The Wedding of Sir Gawain and Dame Ragnell and in John Gower's Middle English poem Confessio Amantis. In the saga "The Death of Niall of the Nine Hostages", Eochaid's enmity with Niall begins when he is refused hospitality by Niall's poet, Laidcenn mac Bairchid. 23andMe does test for this marker, so they are telling you you are M222+. Yet his fall in a foreign land was to be compassed, not by the strategy or might of the foreign enemy, but by the treachery of one of his own. I got that same badge in my 23andme YDNA report. County Mayo residents were fascinated to learn that there is Viking DNA in their makeup, a fact discovered thanks to the National Geographic. He eventually came to control most of the Northern half of Ireland. [9], In another story, the succession is not settled when Eochaid dies, and Mongfind's brother Crimthann takes the high kingship. niall of the nine hostages 23andme. This group is for anyone. [12], In another story, the succession is not settled when Eochaid dies, and Mongfind's brother Crimthann takes the high kingship. Crimthann refuses to drink it unless she does too; they both drink, and both die. But while he is away on a tour of his lands in Scotland, Mongfind's sons seize Ireland. [8] Death, The Lebor Gabla renn says there was war between Niall and nnae Cennsalach, king of Leinster, over the brama or cow-tribute first imposed on Leinster by Tuathal Techtmar. In the saga "The Death of Niall of the Nine Hostages", Eochaid's enmity with Niall begins when he is refused hospitality by Niall's poet, Laidcenn mac Bairchid. The common ancestor that you and Niall have wasn't necessarily from Ireland. There is a legend that on one of his ventures into Gaul, he captured a young boy. Fiachrae and Ailill then make war against Crimthann's son Eochaid, king of Munster. Abruptly, the tale then has Niall appearing before an assembly of Pictish bards in Scotland, where he is killed by an arrow shot by Eochaid from the other side of the valley. One of them, Patrick, was the sixteen-year old son of a British Roman official. For instance, the chiefs of Clan Donald are now known to belong to a branch of Haplogroup R1a, which split from Niall's hypothetical lineage over 20,000 years ago. [8]:222232 O'Rahilly and Byrne argue that the literary sources, though late and garbled, preserve genuine traditions that Niall led raids on Britain, and perhaps died on one. In the highly patriarchal society of medieval Ireland, their status allowed them to have outsized numbers of children and spread their paternal lineage each generation. Crimthann returns to Ireland intending to give battle. 3 days ago. Maternal lines are inherited through mitochondrial DNA both women and men have mitochondrial DNA, but its only the mothers mitochondrial DNA that is passed on to a child. Could I claim that (a) it's an Irish haplgroup, (b) that it can be traced back to the warring clans of the Ui Neill dynasty? It is now more commonly referred to as the Northwest Irish/Lowland Scots variety.[15]. Niall succeeds to the High Kingship, and Brin becomes his second in command. They worshipped a ram god and sometimes called themselves Ghaisonli ('spear-men'), possibly to compete in propaganda with the Lagini ('lance-men'). She gives birth as she is drawing water, but out of fear of Mongfind, she leaves the child on the ground, exposed to the birds. expedition) and conquered much of Ulster. and tr. straight into the modern world when scientists at Trinity College Dublin The earliest version of the Lebor Gabla says Eochaid killed him on the English Channel, later versions adding that Niall was invading Brittany when this happened. [10], While Niall is high king, his brothers establish themselves as local kings. an outstanding beauty, dressed in purple (the colour of royalty) and wearing Niall exiles him to Scotland. Discord: https://discord.gg/3Jjc3GdmtB, Press J to jump to the feed. revealed that as many as three million men living today may carry his y-DNA [4] The later Annals of the Four Masters dates his reign to 379405,[5] and the chronology of Geoffrey Keating's Foras Feasa ar irinn to 368395. "Niall's ships brought many captives back to Ireland. Sometime after 379 (when he became king of Ulster), he forced the other kings of Ireland to accept him as overlord when his sons Eoghan and Conal (possibly others as well) overthrew the Ulidian kingdom in the north. mutations (changes) occur infrequently but, when they do, they help to only water for refreshment but also kingship and a great dynasty. haplotype likely originated in the 2nd millennium BC, long before Niall is claimed to have lived, so his descendants would only represent a minority of men in this group even if Niall had been a historical figure. [11] Another version has Mongfind try to poison Niall, but she takes the poison herself by mistake. You might consider getting a Y-DNA test to see if you can learn more. Irish tradition had forgotten that the Romans once ruled Britain, and relocated his remembered confrontations with the Empire to continental Europe, with Alba, the ancient name for Britain, being confused with Elpa, the Alps, or being understood with its later meaning of Scotland. Then Niall makes war against Leinster, and peace is concluded on the condition that Eochaid is handed over. Abruptly, the tale then has Niall appearing before an assembly of Pictish bards in Scotland, where he is killed by an arrow shot by Eochaid from the other side of the valley. This suggestion is no longer plausible. He makes war and destroys the poet's stronghold, killing his son Leat[11] (Keating has it that Laidchenn was a druid, and that Eochaid killed his son after he used defamatory language towards him). Mongfind, purporting to make peace between her brother and her sons, holds a feast, at which she serves Crimthann a poisoned drink. signature. The Genographic Project Team, who conducted the study, returned to County Mayo to reveal the ancestry results of 100 local residents who participated in the Gathering Ireland event in June 2013. Cookie Notice have been High King of Ireland. Mongfind refuses to accept the decision. The King,. The saga "The Death of Niall of the Nine Hostages" says that he received five hostages from the five provinces of Ireland (Ulster, Connacht, Leinster, Munster and Meath), and one each from Scotland, the Saxons, the Britons and the Franks. The center of his government was at Tara. [4 ] A poem by the 11th century poet Cined Ua Hartacin in the Book of Leinster credits Niall with seven raids on Britain, on the last of which he was killed by Eochaid "above the surf of the Ictian Sea";[4 ][1 2] a poem attributed to the same poet in Lebor na hUidre credits him with going to the Alps seven times. Published by at June 22, 2022. He formed an alliance with the Scots and Picts and sent ships to plunder England, Scotland, Wales, and France. A biography of Niall can be constructed from sources such as the "Roll of Kings" section of the 11th-century Lebor Gabla renn, the Annals of the Four Masters, compiled in the 17th-century, chronicles such as Geoffrey Keating's Foras Feasa ar irinn (1634), and legendary tales like the 11th-century "The Adventure of the Sons of Eochaid Mugmedon" and "The Death of Niall of the Nine Hostages". They defeat him and win great spoil, but Fiachrae is wounded in the battle and dies of his wounds shortly afterwards. He gave rise to the powerful and widespread O'Neil (Ui Neill) dynasty of . Patricus later came to be known as St. Patrick. Son of Eochaidh Muighmheadhoin #124. The Annals of the Four Masters dates his accession to 378 and death to 405. Sithchenn takes the brothers to the smith, who makes them weapons, and sends them out hunting. Genealogical pedigrees dating back to the 5th century, when Laedhaire's children and grandchildren were around, are considered accurate. McManus, Molloy, Reilly, Rourke and Quinn. The geneticists estimated that about 23 million men bear this haplotype. He earned his name, Niall of the nine hostages, by being able to subdue his enemies by taking members of their family and refusing to give them back until they admitted defeat. More recently 23andMe redefined it as R-P311 from an early ancestor associated with group M269. Niall of the Nine Hostages received his name from the taking of hostages as a strategy for playing mental havoc upon his opponent's chieftains. Niall of the Nine Hostages received his name from the taking of hostages as a strategy for playing mental havoc upon his opponent chieftains. Y-DNA is Among the plunder captured by the band of warriors dispatched by Ireland's King Niall of the Nine Hostages was a 16-year-old boy named Succat.