Hi °C | Lo °C OLYMPIC boxer Francie Barrett is on the hunt for the origins of the Travelling community's common DNA strands.
The former Irish international sportsman is interested in tracking down the genetic make-up of Ireland's Travellers.
Although he has now hung up his gloves, Francie is stepping up to the challenge to uncover why he beieves his people's culture is on the brink of being wiped out.
Francie (31) has collected samples of DNA from over 40 Travellers across the country.
Experts in DNA, genealogy and history have all analysed the samples and are to present their findings to the boxer on a new RTE documentary.
Scientists from the Royal College of Surgeons in Dublin, The University of Edinburgh and Ethnoancestory.com worked to unlock the history of Ireland's travelling people.
There are varying theories that Travellers are related to Romany gypsies or some other ethnic group that arrived here over the past 1,000 years.
Others say they have been a community in Ireland long before the arrival of the Celts and subsequent invaders.
And some say they are 'settled Irish people' who took to the road during times of famine and eviction in the years since Oliver Cromwell.
Francie's quest to gain a better understanding of his own history is told in Blood of the Travellers on RTE One on Sunday May 22 at 9.30pm with the second part the following Sunday.
clairemurphy@herald.ie
