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Grace
O'Malley (AKA Granny Wale, Grana Weil, Graun'ya Uaile, Granuaile,
"Queen of the West," "The Great Sea Pirate"
and
Gráinne Ni Mháille the famed "Pirate Queen of
Connacht")
Grace O'Malley
is one of the most recognized pirates and her story is legendary...
but there's history as well as myth in the legend of the Irish noblewoman
who led a band of 200 sea-raiders from the coast of Galway in the
sixteenth century.
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Grace was born at sea in 1530. Her parents (clan chieftain
Dudara "Black Oak" and noblewoman Margaret O'Malley)
were both seafarers in which they combined legal activities
with piracy. Grace grew up on Clare Island off the coast of
Country Mayo (Ireland). It is here where as a young girl she
decided to stop a brood of eagles which were carrying off
their sheep to their cliff dwelling. Grace climbed the cliff
and slaughtered the birds, however not before the eagle talons
deeply gashed her forhead. This left scars which remained
her entire life. Soon after this feat, her father began training
her as a warrior both on land and sea and Grace began wearing
her hair as a man's; short. In fact, "Granuaile"
means 'bald'.
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After her father's death, Grace took command of his fleets and
castles. Grace soon began her own piracy and 'waging a private war
against England.' The Queen of England put a price on her head and
tried to take one of her castles, but could not. Grace's fleet was
so large, the Queen did not 'dare attack them' so they retreated.
Grace went through two husbands and gave birth to several children.
Grace’s husband died and she found herself without lands or financial
support–Irish law did not guarantee that the wife could inherit
the husband’s land. She began raiding the English holdings nearby.
This incurred the wrath of the Governor of the province, Sir Richard
Bingham, who had her fleet impounded in 1593. Grace felt this was
so unjust, she appealed to Queen Elizabeth I by letter and then–when
Bingham arrested her son–in person. She asked that the Queen
have her fleet released and give Grace an annual stipend to live on
for the rest of her days so that she would not have to pirate. She
also vowed to fight the Queen’s enemies. No record was made of
the meeting (although there are many stories and poems of the encounter),
but it did occur, since the Queen wrote to Bingham to do as Grace
wished. Bingham kept the ships impounded until he was replaced by
his successor. Grace’s son took over the fleet, and was as loyal
to the Crown as his mother, as he was made Viscount Mayo in 1627.
Grace continued her piracy well into her sixties. It was said
that during one of her later raids against a Spanish vessel, the
Spanish took one look at her and dropped their weapons. She was
noted to be on board in her nightgown, her grey hair loose and the
scars very noticable. She was holding a sword in one hand and a
pistol in the other. Grace died in 1603.
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