Ancestry.ie DNA Kit €15 off and free shipping with Promo Code

Fingleberries

For St. Patrick's Day, it appears that Ancestry.ie (the local site for Family History / Genealogy site Ancestry.com) has reduced the price of their DNA kit by €15.

http://www.ancestry.co.uk/ireland

The Kit is down from €95 to €80 and if you use the Promo Code FREESHIPDNA you save on postage costs.

Why would I take an Ancestry DNA test?
AncestryDNA is a cutting edge DNA testing service that utilizes some of the latest autosomal testing technology to revolutionize the way you discover your family history. This service combines advanced DNA science with the world's largest online family history resource to predict your genetic ethnicity and help you find new family connections. It maps ethnicity going back multiple generations and provides insight into such possibilities as: what region of Europe are my ancestors from, or am I likely to have East Asian heritage? AncestryDNA can also help identify relationships with unknown relatives through a dynamic list of DNA matches.

What will my results tell me?
Your AncestryDNA results include information about your ethnicity across 26 regions/ethnicities and identifies potential relatives through DNA matching to others who have taken the AncestryDNA test. Your results are a great starting point for more family history research, and it can also be a way to dig even deeper into the research you've already done.

OU812

Man... I'd love to do this but can't justify the price.

From my own research, my ancestors barely moved within a couple of streets let alone countries in the last 150 years or so. Before that, they came down from NI & possibly Scotland (family legend) & on my mother's side, I know there's some British, the majority of it though is inner city Dublin.

Anyone done it & have opinions?

bertie4evr

An alternative bargain: My Heritage is doing it for €79 (Down from €99)

bennyineire

Wiat a few more year's, the price will keep coming down, 5 years ago it cost 1K

TheDriver

Not to sound all tin foil hat, but you are sending your DNA analysis away to a company to compare and analyse.............

ct5amr2ig1nfhp

Getting an error when I follow your link. "The AncestryDNA product is not currently available for purchase in your country."

Fingleberries

A few friends have done the Ancestry one ... It's quite good and it'll find close relatives (who have done the test) very accurately (parents; offspring; siblings; first, second or third cousins).

It can identify fourth to sixth cousins, but it can be difficult to see the family link to these.

Also, for most of their results they've all been about 80% Irish (family in the same parish for millennia) a bit of British (natch), some Scandinavians (Thanks to the Vikings in the south-east). But there have been a few surprises - one finding out that he's 2% Azerbaijani.

Fingleberries

Alvin Miniature Hood wrote: »

Getting an error when I follow your link. "The AncestryDNA product is not currently available for purchase in your country."

Corrected the URL - new link is http://www.ancestry.co.uk/ireland

Winterlong

That is good value but I reckon in a few more years the level of analysis they can give you will be a lot deeper than it is now.
And use a fake name when submitting your samples...dont trust those big corps not to sell the info they glean on to insurance companies etc...

TallGlass

So let me get this correct. They want you to pay them 85€ for your DNA to add to there database to do as they please?

Not a chance. They should be giving me 85€ for my DNA profile.

bertie4evr

Everyone is as cagey about their DNA. Google probably have a better picture of you from your search history!

TallGlass

bertie4evr wrote: »

Everyone is as cagey about their DNA. Google probably have a better picture of you from your search history!

Yet I still stupidly give it away to them for free! I dunno if that's your thing then so be it. But I draw the line at giving away any physical data for free.

But if 85€ is a bargain and your thing then I guess your in luck !

_Whimsical_

TallGlass wrote: »

So let me get this correct. They want you to pay them 85€ for your DNA to add to there database to do as they please?

Not a chance. They should be giving me 85€ for my DNA profile.

Yup I'd feel the exact same.
That's why i wonder if you could do it under a false name... :rolleyes:

Really though it's wise to pause and contemplate before you do this. We don't know the full implications yet of giving your dna to companies. Very likely their business model will include selling your dna to third party companies including insurance companies who in time hope it can be used to determine your future illness risks etc before the sell health insurance, mortgage insurance etc.
So proceed with caution!

Fred Swanson

This post has been deleted.

Fingleberries

With regard to privacy, from the Ancestry FAQ, they seem to try to assure customers:

How Secure and Private is Ancestry DNA
Your privacy is important to us. We use industry standard security practices to store your DNA sample, your DNA test results, and other personal data you provide to us. In addition, we store your DNA test results and DNA sample without your name or other common identifying information. You own your DNA data. At any time, you can choose to download raw DNA data, have us delete your DNA test results as described in the AncestryDNA Privacy Statement, or have us destroy your physical DNA saliva sample. We do not share with third parties your name or other common identifying information linked to your genetic data, except as legally required or with your explicit consent.

For more information on privacy at AncestryDNA, see the AncestryDNA Privacy Statement and visit our Privacy Center.

InTheTrees

I've done it. A friend gave it to me for christmas last year. Its brilliant. It cleared up some misconceptions about our family which was great, as well as giving us a good idea where we came from.

They'll keep your account open, so as the technology improves and the database expands your results will too so you can check back. You dont have to buy an ancestry subscription to access your results.

And as far as secrecy goes, isnt Ancestry.com run by the mormon church? The mormon's keep vast databases on genealogy already, its really important to their religion. Not that it makes them any more trustworthy with my data really but I wouldnt expect them to be selling it on, it could be stolen though.

_Whimsical_

InTheTrees wrote: »

I've done it. A friend gave it to me for christmas last year. Its brilliant. It cleared up some misconceptions about our family which was great, as well as giving us a good idea where we came from.

They'll keep your account open, so as the technology improves and the database expands your results will too so you can check back. You dont have to buy an ancestry subscription to access your results.

And as far as secrecy goes, isnt Ancestry.com run by the mormon church? The mormon's keep vast databases on genealogy already, its really important to their religion. Not that it makes them any more trustworthy with my data really but I wouldnt expect them to be selling it on, it could be stolen though.

I'm afraid I certainly wouldn't be reassured by a Mormon connection. The Mormon church has a vast business empire, including at least one insurance company with assets of around 3 billion or more. They're also known for assorted shady practises in business and elsewhere.

Winterlong

InTheTrees wrote: »

And as far as secrecy goes, isnt Ancestry.com run by the mormon church?

Nope, it is now privately owned and the majority stakeholder is Permira a european equity fund.
But ancestry and the LDS have had various partnerships in the past.

Fingleberries

InTheTrees wrote: »

I've done it. A friend gave it to me for christmas last year. Its brilliant. It cleared up some misconceptions about our family which was great, as well as giving us a good idea where we came from.

They'll keep your account open, so as the technology improves and the database expands your results will too so you can check back. You dont have to buy an ancestry subscription to access your results.

And as far as secrecy goes, isnt Ancestry.com run by the mormon church? The mormon's keep vast databases on genealogy already, its really important to their religion. Not that it makes them any more trustworthy with my data really but I wouldnt expect them to be selling it on, it could be stolen though.

From what I see, Ancestry.com is not owned by the Mormon Church - it looks like it was set up by two blokes who were probably members of the church.

In fairness, though, the source for these facts are Wikipedia and Quora so should be taken with the usual grain of salt used for anything on Wikipedia.

Winterlong wrote:

Nope, it is now privately owned and the majority stakeholder is Permira a european equity fund.
But ancestry and the LDS have had various partnerships in the past.

It appears that Ancestry and some other Genealogy sites may have had a cross-licensing deal with the Mormon Church (It seems like the church granting access to their Genealogy records archives in return for free access to the paid services on these sites - Source: https://familysearch.org/partneraccess)

_Whimsical_

Fred Swanson wrote: »

This post has been deleted.

There's a interesting case in Wired called "Your Relative’s DNA Could Turn You Into a Suspect" involving Ancestry, although they most likely did no wrong, it does illustrate how DNA can be used in manners we might not think of.

https://www.wired.com/2015/10/familial-dna-evidence-turns-innocent-people-into-crime-suspects/

DERICKOO

I seem to remember Yahoo saying they would be protecting my privacy also.
Are they some people so naive that they cannot see beyond the fence.

ruaneg

FREESHIPDNA doesnt seem to be working for me. Anybody else got it working or an alternative coupon?

stimpson

Winterlong wrote: »

Nope, it is now privately owned and the majority stakeholder is Permira a european equity fund.
But ancestry and the LDS have had various partnerships in the past.

I know someone working there. The management and 90% of the staff are Mormon. It's not exactly party central when he visits the US office. That would put me off availing of their services.

crabbypaddy

stimpson wrote: »

I know someone working there. The management and 90% of the staff are Mormon. It's not exactly party central when he visits the US office. That would put me off availing of their services.

Do you apply the same stringent selection criteria to all services ... Sorry your bank / insurance company staff are too boring / mormon / muslim / catholic / jewish ...

stimpson

crabbypaddy wrote: »

Do you apply the same stringent selection criteria to all services ... Sorry your bank / insurance company staff are too boring / mormon / muslim / catholic / jewish ...

Just any services requiring a sample of my DNA.

If there was an atheist bank/insurance company I would certainly consider using them.

_Whimsical_

stimpson wrote: »

Just any services requiring a sample of my DNA.

If there was an atheist bank/insurance company I would certainly consider using them.

That's a strange rational. I think they call it "prejudice".

I could see being put off because of specific concerns about their business practices but solely on the basis of religion, any religion, is unusual. At the end of the day all business owners, even atheists, only care about turning a profit. There is nothing religious-owned businesses can do with your DNA that atheist businesses can't.

Fingleberries

Ah, to be fair, the atheist business would probably have less qualms about cloning you from your DNA

stimpson

_Whimsical_ wrote: »

That's a strange rational. I think they call it "prejudice".

I could see being put off because of specific concerns about their business practices but solely on the basis of religion, any religion, is unusual. At the end of the day all business owners, even atheists, only care about turning a profit. There is nothing religious-owned businesses can do with your DNA that atheist businesses can't.

It's only prejudice if it's done without reason. I've done my research, so I'm happy that it's a reasoned decision. Neither is it discriminatory (in the legal sense) to refuse to use a service for such a reason.

But I take issue with your point that business owners only care about turning a profit. Many religious business owners will turn down paying work if it doesn't conform to their world view. The gay marriage cake business in Belfast last year is a case in point. Many religious would happily put their blind faith above their wealth.

I do agree with you that there is nothing they can do that an atheist can't, but I think an organised religion with a massive private vault carved into the side of a mountain, just half an hours drive from Ancestrys HQ, may be more likely to store my DNA for nefarious purposes than a secular organisation.

Fingleberries

stimpson wrote: »

I think an organised religion with a massive private vault carved into the side of a mountain, just half an hours drive from Ancestrys HQ, may be more likely to store my DNA for nefarious purposes than a secular organisation.

When you say it like that, it certainly sounds dodgy. Although, you could equally talk about Facebook hiding a Data Centre just outside the Arctic circle. Both locations could really be for slightly less 'nefarious' reasons, and neither seems to be directly linked to underhand use of DNA results.

Facebook because it's much more energy efficient to cool the data centre when the temperature outside is below zero most of the year. Purely a monetary decision.

The Mormon church vaults look to be for storing microfilm, documents and run a data storage location in ideal and controlled environmental conditions. (Virtual Tour).

Each to their own and everyone doing anything online should be aware, or made aware, of any potential privacy concerns. The same is true for any online service (Xbox Live, PlayStation Network, Facebook, Twitter, Apple, Google, Microsoft, etc.) Once informed, they can make an educated decision themselves on their preferences - as you have done and feel that it's not for you and I fully respect your decision.

Personally, I chose to go ahead and try this out. I find it interesting to see if they can prove that all my rellies came from the same ten mile radius. I just hope to goodness that there are branches on the family tree if that's the case

Fingleberries

Looks like the Late Late is even getting in on the DNA act tonight (source: Irish Independent).

I misread it first and thought when it said that Paul McGrath would be on. I thought that the FAI were going to use this as a method to extend the reach of the Granny rule and find new players for the international squad.

Ocditsme

Was at the show
Got my free kit
Woohoo