In the annals of Irish history there are many huge figures that dominate the historical landscape. Stories of revolution and political intrigue are often romantized and survive the passage of time.
Born during the reign of King Henry VIII the exploits of Grace O'Malley have long since become legendary. The Gaelic 'Queen of the Irish Seas' was known by a number of names including Granuaile, Grainne Ni Mhaille and Graney O'Mally but perhaps the most startling aspect of her life is the impact she made as a woman, in what was a very male-dominated world.
Born in Connaught in the west of Ireland in 1530 Grace inherited a large shipping business from her father and land from her mother, becoming very wealthy by sixteenth century standards. She married and had three children before commencing on her famous career on the high seas where she ran three pirate ships and up to 200 men as she opposed the many English attempts to remove her.
Her husband was an O'Flaherty who was executed by Queen Elizabeth's colonists who were trying to completely subjugate the Irish way of life. In 1556 she married again, this time to Iron Richard Burke and had a son named Tibbot. Captured and jailed for two years she returned to her homeland in Connaught to continue her defiance.
Perhaps it was fate that on the throne of England sat another strong woman. In 1558 Grace petitioned Queen Elizabeth I for the release of her two sons and half-brother who had been captured by the English governor of Connaught, Sir Richard Bingham. It was famously rumored that she had a concealed weapon on her person when meeting the Queen and that she refused to bow before her, not recognising English rule over Ireland.
Queen Elizabeth I pardoned her in an attempt to bring peace to the region but this attempt failed as the local English administrators continued to goad the woman who had been a thorn in their side for years. Realizing that the meeting had no real long-term effect Grace O'Malley returned to her campaign of harassing the English and supporting the Irish rebels of the time.
Fighting and defiance were her only means of survival and this she did until the Irish defeat at the Battle of Kinsale in 1601 checked her dominance. She died in 1603 although the exact place of her death is uncertain. It is only in recent decades that her full influence on Irish history has been acknowledged.
It is an indication of her impact though that her name has been used in poetry to represent Ireland - a worthy honour.
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