Click here to register for our 2026 webinar series.

Click here to register for our 2026 webinar series.

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Maurice Gleeson

Bonus webinars DNA Testing Miscellaneous Unlock the Past: Seattle Places and Ethnicities Ireland

Maurice Gleeson is a medical doctor by first profession (psychiatry, pharmaceutical medicine) and now works as a professional genetic genealogist. He authors several blogs (e.g. DNA and Family Tree Research) and has been a regular contributor to genealogical magazines. He is an international speaker and organised the DNA Lectures for “Genetic Genealogy Ireland” in Dublin/Belfast and “Who Do You Think You Are” in the UK. His educational YouTube videos on genetic genealogy are very popular and he was voted “Genetic Genealogist of the Year 2015” (SurnameDNA Journal) and “Superstar Genealogist, Ireland” in 2016 (Canada’s Anglo-Celtic Connections).

In recognition of his outreach work, he was made an Education Ambassador for the International Society of Genetic Genealogy. In 2021, he was made an Honorary Research Fellow in the Genealogical Studies Programme at the University of Strathclyde, Glasgow.

He is administrator of several Surname DNA Projects, including the O’Malley, Gleason, Spearin, Ryan, & Farrell Projects among others. He also works with adoptees and with people of unknown parentage and has appeared on Irish television as a consultant for the TV series Adoption Stories.

Maurice's Upcoming Live Webinars (1)

DNA Testing
Breaking Irish Brick Walls: A Y-DNA and Clustering Case Study
Maurice Gleeson
Wed, December 2 2026: 16:30 UTC
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Breaking Irish Brick Walls: A Y-DNA and Clustering Case Study
Wed, December 2 2026: 16:30 UTC
This presentation first explores clustering and how I used it to break through a brick wall at 1800. This added 24 additional ancestors and five additional generations to my family tree. Thereafter, I switched to Y DNA which allowed me to confirm the veracity of the ancestor line back to the mid-1600s and I am continuing to attempt to connect the line to Wales in the 1500s and prior to that to an established pedigree that goes back to the time of Noah.
DNA Testing
Breaking Irish Brick Walls: A Y-DNA and Clustering Case Study
Maurice Gleeson
This presentation first explores clustering and how I used it to break through a brick wall at 1800. This added 24 additional ancestors and five additional generations to my family tree. Thereafter, I switched to Y DNA which allowed me to confirm the veracity of the ancestor line back to the mid-1600s and I am continuing to attempt to connect the line to Wales in the 1500s and prior to that to an established pedigree that goes back to the time of Noah.
Wed, December 2 2026: 16:30 UTC
Register for free

Maurice's Webinars (7)

Advanced
1:30:38
DNA Testing
Using Multiple WATO Analyses to break through a Brick Wall
Maurice Gleeson
1.4K views
CC
Using Multiple WATO Analyses to break through a Brick Wall
Maurice Gleeson has been experimenting with Multiple WATO (What Are The Odds) Analyses as a technique to break through Brick Walls in family trees at the 1750-1800 timepoint. With Multiple WATO Analyses, all possible scenarios for an ancestral relationship are explored (hence the "multiple" in the title). So if there are 3 individuals born about the same time, the various scenarios to explore are: 1. are they all brothers? 2. are they all half-brothers? 3. are two brothers and the third a 1st cousin to the other two? 4. are two half-brothers and the third a 1st cousin? 5. are they all 1st cousins? etc. etc. etc. And each scenario above is assessed from the perspective of all descendants involved in the analysis ... so if there are 10 Scenarios and 8 descendants there will be 28 pair-wise comparisons in each scenario so 280 comparisons in total. Maurice will present several examples of how this technique has been used in practice to break thru Irish Brick Walls.
DNA Testing
Using Multiple WATO Analyses to break through a Brick Wall
CC
Maurice Gleeson
1.4K views
Maurice Gleeson has been experimenting with Multiple WATO (What Are The Odds) Analyses as a technique to break through Brick Walls in family trees at the 1750-1800 timepoint. With Multiple WATO Analyses, all possible scenarios for an ancestral relationship are explored (hence the "multiple" in the title). So if there are 3 individuals born about the same time, the various scenarios to explore are: 1. are they all brothers? 2. are they all half-brothers? 3. are two brothers and the third a 1st cousin to the other two? 4. are two half-brothers and the third a 1st cousin? 5. are they all 1st cousins? etc. etc. etc. And each scenario above is assessed from the perspective of all descendants involved in the analysis ... so if there are 10 Scenarios and 8 descendants there will be 28 pair-wise comparisons in each scenario so 280 comparisons in total. Maurice will present several examples of how this technique has been used in practice to break thru Irish Brick Walls.
Wed, May 3 2023: 18:00 UTC
Register for free
Advanced
1:27:48
DNA TestingPlaces and Ethnicities
Hints & Tips for Solving Irish Cases of Unknown Parentage Using DNA
Maurice Gleeson
2.2K views
CC
Hints & Tips for Solving Irish Cases of Unknown Parentage Using DNA
There are many examples of Unknown Parentage cases in Ireland - illegal adoptees, a foundling grandparent, or simply an Irish Brick Wall. This talk explores the approach to solving these cases, the challenges faced with Irish records, and some hints & tips to overcome them using DNA.
DNA TestingPlaces and Ethnicities
Hints & Tips for Solving Irish Cases of Unknown Parentage Using DNA
CC
Maurice Gleeson
2.2K views
There are many examples of Unknown Parentage cases in Ireland - illegal adoptees, a foundling grandparent, or simply an Irish Brick Wall. This talk explores the approach to solving these cases, the challenges faced with Irish records, and some hints & tips to overcome them using DNA.
Wed, February 8 2023: 19:00 UTC
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50:49
Bonus webinarsDNA TestingPlaces and EthnicitiesMiscellaneous
Challenges with Irish Genetic Genealogy
Maurice Gleeson
2.5K views
CC
Challenges with Irish Genetic Genealogy
This talk will explore how to use your DNA results to augment your use of Irish records.
Bonus webinarsDNA TestingPlaces and EthnicitiesMiscellaneous
Challenges with Irish Genetic Genealogy
CC
Maurice Gleeson
2.5K views
This talk will explore how to use your DNA results to augment your use of Irish records.
Thu, September 6 2018: 0:00 UTC
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49:34
Bonus webinarsPlaces and EthnicitiesMiscellaneous
Newspapers, Gravestones and Probate Records
Maurice Gleeson
980 views
CC
Newspapers, Gravestones and Probate Records
This talk explores the wealth of genealogical material to be found in newspapers, cemeteries, probate, petty session court records, & dog licenses. We will also explore some of the resources that everyone should be using as a routine part of their ongoing Irish research.
Bonus webinarsPlaces and EthnicitiesMiscellaneous
Newspapers, Gravestones and Probate Records
CC
Maurice Gleeson
980 views
This talk explores the wealth of genealogical material to be found in newspapers, cemeteries, probate, petty session court records, & dog licenses. We will also explore some of the resources that everyone should be using as a routine part of their ongoing Irish research.
Thu, September 6 2018: 0:00 UTC
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59:24
Bonus webinarsPlaces and EthnicitiesMiscellaneous
Navigating Irish Birth, Marriage and Death Records
Maurice Gleeson
1.2K views
CC
Navigating Irish Birth, Marriage and Death Records
In the last year or so, many of the civil registration records are coming online. Most of these are available for free via www.irishgenealogy.ie and digital images of the original record can be downloaded. Civil registration started in 1864 for most records. Prior to this, one has to rely on…
Bonus webinarsPlaces and EthnicitiesMiscellaneous
Navigating Irish Birth, Marriage and Death Records
CC
Maurice Gleeson
1.2K views
In the last year or so, many of the civil registration records are coming online. Most of these are available for free via www.irishgenealogy.ie and digital images of the original record can be downloaded. Civil registration started in 1864 for most records. Prior to this, one has to rely on…
Thu, September 6 2018: 0:00 UTC
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1:01:11
Bonus webinarsPlaces and EthnicitiesMiscellaneous
Tracing Your Immigrant Ancestor to Ireland
Maurice Gleeson
1.6K views
CC
Tracing Your Immigrant Ancestor to Ireland
This talk gives an overview of the various techniques & records available in the US (and elsewhere) that can be used to help trace your ancestor back to where they came from in Ireland.
Bonus webinarsPlaces and EthnicitiesMiscellaneous
Tracing Your Immigrant Ancestor to Ireland
CC
Maurice Gleeson
1.6K views
This talk gives an overview of the various techniques & records available in the US (and elsewhere) that can be used to help trace your ancestor back to where they came from in Ireland.
Thu, September 6 2018: 0:00 UTC
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57:37
Bonus webinarsPlaces and Ethnicities
Irish Church and Civil Registration
Maurice Gleeson
1.3K views
CC
Irish Church and Civil Registration
There are several ways of getting hold of Irish BMD records and many of them are completely free of charge. Civil Registration started for Non-Catholics in 1845 (8 years after England) and for Catholics in 1864. The index to these Civil Records is available for free via both FamilySearch.org and…
Bonus webinarsPlaces and Ethnicities
Irish Church and Civil Registration
CC
Maurice Gleeson
1.3K views
There are several ways of getting hold of Irish BMD records and many of them are completely free of charge. Civil Registration started for Non-Catholics in 1845 (8 years after England) and for Catholics in 1864. The index to these Civil Records is available for free via both FamilySearch.org and…
Tue, March 15 2016: 0:00 UTC
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