What Color Hair Did Grace O'malley Have

GRACE O'Malley is historic in Republic of ireland every bit the original 'Pirate Queen', merely the 16^thursday century figure was also a remarkable leader respected not merely by her own people but besides by her sworn enemy – the English.

Before her exploits were uncovered by historian Anne Chambers in the early 2000s, O'Malley had largely been airbrushed from history for not plumbing fixtures the conventional norms of 'womanhood'.

From her primeval days, Gráinne Ní Mháille rejected the office of the 16^th century woman, instead embracing life on the sea along the rugged West Declension of Republic of ireland – where she ruled the waves for decades.

Ambitious and fiercely independent, her exploits eventually became known through Republic of ireland and England – leading to a coming together with Queen Elizabeth I herself.

To celebrate this fascinating effigy in Irish history, here are 12 facts about the Pirate Queen of Ireland – Granuaile…

1. Noble beginnings

O'Malley was born while Male monarch Henry VIII was Lord of Ireland (Picture: Wikimedia)

Gráinne Ní Mháille was built-in into the great seafaring family Clan O'Malley around 1530, while the notorious Henry VIII was Male monarch of England and held the title Lord of Republic of ireland.

Clan O'Malley rose to power in the West of Ireland during the 1300s – ruling the southern shore of Clew Bay, Achill Island and most of the barony of Murrisk for over 300 years.

They were ruthless pirates and terrorised ships trading in Galway Bay, taxing all those who fished off their coasts. They traded with some coastal areas of French republic and Spain and built a row of castles facing the sea to protect their territory.

2. An Irish tongue

Gráinne Ní Mháill was most likely born on Clare Island, Co. Mayo in 1530 (Motion picture: Failte Ireland)

Grace grew up in an Irish speaking globe, with her chieftain male parent Eoghan Dubhdara Ó Máille largely left to his own devices by the English government. However, this was to alter over the course of Grace's life equally the Tudor conquest of Ireland gathered pace.

Equally a child she most likely lived on Clare Island off the declension of Mayo, and she was probably educated to a high standard for the time – since she spoke in Latin with Queen Elizabeth in 1593.

Because of her all-encompassing travels and trade, she probable spoke some English, Spanish, Scottish Gaelic, and French as well. She was probably at least reasonably proficient in Scots, every bit she was particularly corking on recruiting Scottish sailors into her ranks.

three. Young & stubborn

A young Grace was desperate to follow her father to Espana (Picture: Wikimedia)

Local sociology has it that equally a young daughter O'Malley wished to go along a trading expedition to Espana with her father.

Upon existence told she could not because her long pilus would grab in the send'due south ropes, she cut off virtually of her hair to embarrass her father into taking her.

This earned her the nickname "Gráinne Mhaol" (from 'maol' meaning bald or having cropped hair), usually anglicised every bit Granuaile.

iv. An entrepreneurial spirit

Bunowen Castle in Co. Galway was Grace's first base of operations (Motion picture: Flickr)

Fifty-fifty as a young woman, Grace was involved in the business of international trade – learning the ropes from her father.

It is known that she frequently wanted to bring together his fleets, but he ever refused. Bunowen Castle, where she lived with her first husband, Dónal an-Chogaidh O'Flaherty, was likely the first base for her aircraft and merchandise activities.

By the time of her husband'southward death in boxing in the early 1560s, Grace commanded the loyalty of so many of his men that many of them followed her to Clare Island, where she moved her headquarters.

5. Non a forgiver

Grace didn't exactly have the best luck when information technology came to men (Picture: YouTube)

After her husband's death, Grace allegedly took the shipwrecked son of a Wexford sailor as her lover. Tragically, the relationship was a cursory i afterwards Hugh de Lacy was killed by the MacMahons of Ballyvoy.

Seeking vengeance, Grace attacked the MacMahon castle of Doona in Blacksod Bay and ruthlessly killed Hugh'southward murderers on Cahir Island.

Her attack on Doona Castle earned her the nickname, 'Night Lady of Doona'.

6. Unfazed past the English language

Grace's nemesis was Sir Richard Bingham, the English governor of Connaught (Flick: Wikimedia)

Around the fourth dimension of her first husband's death came the first complaints to the English Council in Dublin that her ships were behaving like pirates.

In an apparent try to compromise with the English, she 'offered' 200 fighting men to serve in their regular army – all the while pillaging their ships every bit far away equally Waterford.

Information technology is said that when Granuaile eventually met Queen Elizabeth in 1593 at Greenwich Palace after decades of fighting the English, she refused to bow because she was herself a Queen, and not a subject of the Queen of England.

seven. Not one to be refused

Howth Castle, the site of a famed incident between O'Malley, Lord Howth and his grandson (Picture: TripAdvisor)

It is said that during a trip to Dublin, O'Malley attempted a visit to Howth Castle – home of Lord Howth. Even so, she was informed that the family was at dinner and the castle gates were closed confronting her.

In retaliation, she abducted the Earl'due south grandson and heir, Christopher St Lawrence. He was eventually released when a promise was given to keep the gates open to unexpected visitors and to set an extra place at every meal.

Lord Howth gave her a ring equally pledge on the agreement. The ring remains in the possession of a descendant of O'Malley and, at Howth Castle today, this agreement is still honoured by the descendants of the Baron – with a street in Howth named 'Grace O'Malley Road'.

8. A working mum

Richard Bourke (1822-1872), sixth Earl of Mayo and Grace O'Malley'south 10-times not bad grandson (Picture: Wikimedia)

Grace O'Malley bore four children during her life – Owen (Eoghan) O'Flaherty, Margaret (Maeve) O'Flaherty, Murrough (Murchadh) O'Flaherty and Tiobóid (Theobald) Bourke.

1 story claims that she gave birth to her third child on the high seas during a trading expedition to the Mediterranean.

Only a few hours after the birth of her baby, Grace picked upwardly her gun and joined a fight on deck with a group of attacking Algerian corsairs – who were all either slaughtered or retreated to their ships.

9. Her own woman

A 1793 drawing of Grace (left) coming together Queen Elizabeth in 1593 (Pic: Wikimedia)

Not but did Grace purportedly refuse to bow to Queen Elizabeth – but it is said that she also had a dagger concealed on her person confiscated past Elizabeth's guards.

If that wasn't enough, Grace is besides said to have blown her nose into a handkerchief earlier throwing it into a nearby fireplace – much to the shock of the English courtiers.

O'Malley informed Elizabeth that, in Ireland, a used handkerchief was considered muddied and was destroyed. Their give-and-take was carried out in Latin, as O'Malley spoke no English and Elizabeth spoke no Irish gaelic.

10. Precipitous tongued

Kinturk Castle near Castlebar in Co. Mayo (Picture: Castlebar.ie)

A story is recorded of O'Malley telling off her son Tíoboíd in the course of an attack on Kinturk Castle near Castlebar.

When she thought he was shirking the battle, she shouted: "An ag iarraidh dul i bhfolach ar mo thóin atá tú, an áit a dtáinig tú equally?" (Are you trying to hibernate in my arse, the place that you came out of?).

She is also recorded as saying to her followers: "Go mb'fhearr léi lán loinge de chlann Chonraoi agus de chlann Mhic an Fhailí ná lán loinge d'ór" (that she would rather have a shipload of Conroys and MacAnallys than a shipload of gold).

11. A long life

Rockfleet Castle in Mayo is arguable Granuaile's about famous haunt (Moving picture: Failte Ireland)

Despite her life full of adventures, Granuaile lived to an former age. She died of natural causes in 1603 at Rockfleet Castle and was 72 or 73 at the time of her passing.

She was buried in the Cistercian Abbey on Clare Island and very soon after her expiry, became an Irish gaelic folk hero of almost legendary condition.

Ii decades later on her decease, in 1623, the English Lord Deputy of Republic of ireland recalled Grace O'Malley's ability equally a leader of fighting men – noting the fame she still had among the Irish people

12. A living legacy

A statue of Grace O'Malley in the grounds of Westport Firm (Picture: Westport House)

At that place is a bronze statue of O'Malley crafted by her straight descendants in the grounds of Westport House in Mayo, which also contains a comprehensive exhibition on her life compiled past historian Anne Chambers – a leading authority on Clan O'Malley.

Today is International READ A BOOK DAY:

Chamber'due south 2003 book Republic of ireland'southward Pirate Queen: The True Story of Grace O'Malley, 1530-1603 reignited widespread interest in Granuaile – and the story of her life has long been rumoured for the big screen.

As an aggressive and fiercely independent woman who broke free of the conventional norms of the time – Grace O'Malley's story is now as relevant every bit it ever was.

** Originally Published on: Jul 12, 2017 past Aidan Lonergan

Source: https://www.irishpost.com/life-style/irelands-pirate-queen-twelve-fascinating-facts-about-legendary-grace-omalley-129406

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