She Bowed to No Man

Amazing Grace O'Malley……

 

This is the story of one of the strongest women Ireland has ever produced.   Her epitaph sums up her life in one sentence. "Grace O’Malley asked permissions from no man".

Grace (Granuaile/Grainne) O’Malley was born in County Mayo, in the West of Ireland, around 1530 of a noble family. Her father, Owen (Dubdara – Black Oak) O’Malley was the elected chieftain of the Clan O’Malley. They were a seafaring family with a history going back 500 years. They had a fleet of small ships and traded with Scotland and Spain.

Grace pestered her father to be allowed to go to sea with him but her mother emphatically refused her permission. She insisted that it was not a fit occupation for a young ‘lady’.

After Grace cut off her long hair in protest, the family relented but as a result of what she did she earned herself the nickname Grace the Bald (Grainne Maol).

At the age of 16, Grace married Donal O’Flaherty, the next in line for the Chieftainship of the Clan. He was a hard man and was alleged to have murdered his sister’s stepson because he was a threat to his gaining the title.

They had three children, Owen, Margaret and Murrough but his did not interfere with her sea-going activities.

She soon became totally involved in Clan disputes, politics and as a sideline, piracy. Her husband Donal was prohibited from trading at the port of Galway, at that time one of the biggest trading centres in the British Isles. (In fact, Christopher Columbus used Galway port on many occasions prior to his journey to the Americas).

Grace decided that she would have to make up for the loss of earning.  She would sail one of her fastest galleys and intercept merchant shipping heading for the port. She would claim a ‘fee’ for free passage or if refused, allow her men to raid the ships on one pretext or another.

In the 1560’s Donal died. It was believed that he was killed by another Clan, the Joyces in revenge for Donal capturing one of their castles. As a result of his fighting skills during that raid, he earned the nickname ‘Donal the Cock’. Later when Grace retaliated against the Joyces and defeated them, she was nicknamed ‘The Hen’.

The castle, which became her fortress, became known as ‘The Hen’s Castle’.

Although by law she was entitled to one third of Donal’s estate she ended up with precious little. She returned to O’Malley territory and set up on Clare Island overlooking the shipping lanes at Clew Bay. She took with her 200 followers. From her new home she could monitor shipping, raid them, and claim her ‘fees’. She earned quite a lot of money and was very comfortably off as a result.

There was another castle, which had an equally good sight of the Bay. It was owned by ‘Iron Dick’ Burke whom she arranged to marry. They married in 1566 with a ‘pre-nuptial agreement’.

After one year, either party could terminate the marriage. As the time came near, Grace barricaded herself in the castle and dismissed her husband. However, there must be something in his name, for Grace continued a relationship with him for years to come.

She had one son with Dick, who was known as Theobald of the Ships. Legend has it that she gave birth to him aboard ship whilst on a trading mission. When a Turkish crew attacked them, she went up on deck waving a blunderbuss. They managed to capture the Turkish ship and added it to their fleet.

In 1577, Grace was captured and handed over to the President of Munster. She was imprisoned in Dublin Castle. For some unknown reason she was set free and returned to Mayo.

When Sir Richard Bingham became Governor of Connaught in 1584, he began to remove all the clans and chieftains. He took what land and castles he wished.

Grace was captured in 1586 and lost all her possessions. By giving evidence against her son-in-law, Grace was allowed to return home. Her son Owen was murdered by Bingham’s troops. Grace, without finance, land or means of survival, she returned to her piracy at sea. She also became fiercely anti-English............

However, she petitioned Queen Elizabeth First and asked for her liberty in exchange for an all out attack on the enemies of the Queen. Before the matter could be settled, Bingham arrested Grace’s sons Murrough and Tibbott. He also took her brother Donal. Grace did nothing more but travelled directly to England and petitioned the Queen in person.

Grace at this time was in her 60’s and is known to have swayed the Queen by her appearance. She looked more manly than all the powdered dandies at Court did. The Queen immediately wrote Bingham demanding the release of Grace’s brother and sons. She also demanded that he provide a living for Grace for the rest of her days.

Grace again put to sea to get up to her old tricks, but Bingham anticipated such a move. He ordered a Captain and a company of soldiers to follow her on all her voyages.

She finally moved to stay with an old friend in the Province of Munster, Thomas, Earl of Ormond. He again petitioned the Queen but there is no record of the result.

The death of Grace is shrouded in mystery. Some say she died in a battle whilst attempting to raid a merchant ship. Others say she died in her beloved castle Rockfleet.

As I said at the beginning, ‘Grace asked permissions from no man’. She may have asked the Queen’s sanction to continue with her escapades, but then again, Queen Elizabeth First was a truly hard woman herself and maybe, just maybe, she was drawn towards such a strong manly looking women.........................

--------Mike-------