GCGD47 Grace O'Malley

Gráinne O'Malley (Irish: Gráinne Ní Mháille ) c.1530 – c.1603), also known as Grace O'Malley, was the head of the Ó Máille dynasty on the west coast of Ireland, and the daughter of Eóghan Dubhdara Ó Máille. Upon her father's death, she took over active leadership of the lordship by land and sea, despite having a brother, Dónal an Phíopa Ó Máille. .

She became an intrepid mariner, pirate, rebel, shrewd political tactician and female trailblazer – there are many ways to describe Grace O'Malley. She became known as Ireland's 'Pirate Queen.'  A fearless leader by land and by sea, political pragmatist and tactician, rebel, pirate and matriarch, the ’most notorious woman in all the coasts of Ireland’ she challenged and manipulated the turbulent politics of the 16th century. Breaching boundaries of gender imbalance and bias, she re-wrote the rules to become one of the world’s first documented feminist trailblazers.

In September 1593 Grace was granted an audience with Queen Elizabeth I at Greenwich, primarily to secure the release of her son, Theobald, who had been imprisoned by the English governor of Connaught, Sir Richard Bingham, on charges of treason. She also sought the return of her family's confiscated property and aimed to negotiate a truce with the English, as she was facing increasing pressure from English rule in Ireland.

Gráinne O'Malley died: in 1603 at the age of 73, most likely at Carraig Howley castle. She is buried in the ruins of the Cistercian abbey on Clare Island.