How did a pirate meet English royalty and escape unscathed? How did a simple Irish woman get the nickname “commander-in-chief and leader of thieves and murderers at sea” by the English? Who is Grace O’Malley and how did she become “the most famous woman on the entire Irish coast” ?
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Grace “without hair”
Grace O’Malley, or rather, Granuaile in Gaelic, was born in the territory of the O’Malley clan in the west of Ireland in 1530. Like many members of her family before her, she had the sea in her skin. Unfortunately, his father, the leader of the clan, forbids him from boarding a ship. Granuaile is a woman and rumors say that women only bring misfortune on the open sea. Superstitions are numerous among sailors. To dissuade her a little more, they tell her that her long red hair will get caught in the ropes and that she will therefore be a danger on board. But the young girl is not the type to let things happen. As O’Malley, a sailor’s soul stirs within her. She then makes a decision. Whatever the cost, she will go to sea. She cuts off her hair and becomes “Grace without hair”.
Faced with her determination, her father finally agrees to let her accompany him on his ship. The O’Malley clan, one of 40 in Ireland, is powerful and taxes boats that sail through their territories. The clan leader decides to educate his daughter and she proves gifted. She accompanies him on the sea, whether to trade or to commit acts of piracy…
But the latter must soon give up salt water, despite its aptitude. She must get married. The O’Malleys are in conflict with a rival clan, the O’Flahertys. To ease tensions, Granuaile must marry the clan chief’s son, Dónal O’Flaherty. She complied with the demands and, at 17, became a mother.
Alongside her husband, who treats her as his equal, she becomes leader of a new clan. But after a while, tragedy hits the family. Dónal dies in combat while trying to defend a castle. She then decides to avenge him. This is the first time she has led men onto the battlefield and her initiative is a success.
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Clan leader
Grace leaves the O’Flaherty clan with her three children and returns to the lands of her ancestors. Shortly after his return, Chief O’Malley, his father, died. And against all expectations, his replacement will be a replacement… his daughter, Granuaile. She seizes the title despite the tradition which requires men to be clan chief. Fortunately, loyalty reigns and soon, the young widow finds herself at the head of 200 men and a fleet.
Little by little, she consolidates a reputation. It charges a tax to all boats that sail on “its” waters. She targets and attacks merchant ships, whether English, Spanish or even Irish, until she becomes the “Pirate Queen”.
Soon, her reputation caught up with her. The English hear about a dangerous Irish woman… She must consolidate her territory. Indeed, the homeland of Elizabeth I is gradually trying to take control of Ireland and trying to capture the pirate but her fleet and her men are very good. To counter the arrival of the English, expand her territory and have absolute control of Clew Bay, she decides on a strategy which has already borne fruit… Marriage.
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A fine strategist
A single castle stands in front of it and dominates the bay. Rockwood Castle owned by Richard Bourke. She then decided to enter into a marriage of convenience in 1566 and a year later, divorced while keeping the famous castle.
His cunning and his intelligence no longer need to be demonstrated. Under his command, his clan accumulated, over the years, great wealth through trade, fishing and piracy. But the English threat is never far away…
To prepare for any eventuality and fight against Elizabeth I, she returns to her ex-husband to join forces. She then became pregnant with her fourth child and the resulting story of childbirth would strengthen her reputation.
According to legend, she was on a ship commanding men when Algerian pirates attacked them. Just before the confrontation began, she would have given birth on the boat and then joined her men to fight on the besieged ship. The sight of this woman and the cries of the baby would have destabilized the foreign pirates and the O’Malley Clan would have won the victory.
This legend gives a certain fear to the English. She even began to be mentioned in the correspondence of Queen Elizabeth I as “the most famous woman on the entire Irish coast” and like the “commander-in-chief of thieves and murderers at sea.”
The English had to act and in the 1670s titles were offered to clan chiefs to become citizens under the English crown without bloodshed. Many clans accept and keep their lands. Granuaile then becomes Lady Bourke and promises to stop piracy… But only for a time.
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The rebel puts away her weapons
However, she quickly resumed navigation and continued to charge tolls and pillage the ships. Eager for wealth, she also pillages towns and villages if she is affronted, takes hostages… She quickly finds herself at the center of the Irish rebellion.
This time, England wants to get rid of this figurehead which has existed for too long. She was captured in 1577 and remained locked in the dungeons of Dublin Castle for two long years until her almost miraculous release. Her husband, hoping that she would get out of prison, started a revolution and the authorities released her by making her promise to stop Richard’s rebellion.
But the spirit of Grace O’Malley is not subdued and after a few years, she decides again to rebel and take to the sea. A man, Bingham is sent to fight against the Irish by “all possible means“. And he particularly hates Aile. To make her submit, he targets her family. His eldest son is first killed and when the second dares to side with Bingham, the pirate attacks his castle to teach him a lesson. Finally, the third son, the one born in the middle of battle, is arrested for treason.
At age 63, O’Malley sent a petition and was granted an audience with the Queen. And against all odds, everything she asks for is granted, including the release of her son. In return, she agreed to put an end to his rebellion until her death in 1603.
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