Who was Grace OMalley?
Grace O’Malley is the English name of Ireland’s most famous female pirate, Grania Ni Mhaille. A contemporary of Queen Elizabeth I of England, Grace controlled much of the Irish west coast, relying on piracy and trading to make her fortunes. He power and reputation grew to be so large, she eventually met with Elizabeth in England, in one of the most storied meetings of the 16th century. The daughter of a successful shipping merchant, Grace O’Malley is believed to have been born around 1530. Her father was the influential head of the O’Malley clan, and Grace is believed to have had some formal education. At about 16, Grace’s family entered her into a political marriage with the powerful O’Flaherty clan, which resulted in three children. Grace is believed to have been extremely charismatic and popular, and following her husband’s death, many O’Flaherty clan members chose to leave their ancestral homes and join her at her castle on Clare Island. However, she was cheated out of some of her
