33 Facts About Grace O'Malley

In 1593, when her sons Tibbot Bourke and Murchadh O Flaithbheartaigh and her half-brother Donal an Phiopa were taken captive by the English governor of Connacht, Sir Richard Bingham, O'Malley sailed to England to petition for their release.

Grace O'Malley formally presented her request to Queen Elizabeth I at her court in Greenwich Palace.

Grace O'Malley was born in Ireland around 1530, when Henry VIII was King of England and held the title Lord of Ireland.

Grace O'Malley was Chief of the Name of Clan O Maille and Lord of Umhaill, and claimed descent from Maille mac Conall.

The Bourke family were originally Anglo-Norman but by Grace O'Malley's lifetime had become completely Gaelicised.

Grace O'Malley was married in 1546 to Donal an Chogaidh O Flaithbheartaigh, tanaiste or heir to the Chief of the Name of Clan O Flaithbheartaigh, which would have been a good political match for the daughter of the Chief of Clan O Maille.

Grace O'Malley bore three children during her marriage to Donal an Chogaidh:.

Grace O'Malley's assassination was, undoubtedly, part of Donal's wider struggle against Clan Joyce for control of Hen's Castle upon the lough.

Grace O'Malley then returned to her own lands and established her principal residence upon Clare Island.

Grace O'Malley allegedly took a shipwrecked sailor as her lover.

Still not satisfied with her revenge, Grace O'Malley then sailed for Ballycroy and attacked the garrison at Doona Castle, overpowering the defenders and taking the castle for herself.

Grace O'Malley was determined to wait out the thief, maintaining that he could starve or surrender.

In 1576, Grace O'Malley engaged in the surrender and regrant process with the Lord Deputy Sir Henry Sidney in respect of her lands.

Grace O'Malley had every reason, and used every opportunity, to limit the power of the Kingdom of Ireland over her part of the country.

Grace O'Malley asked her "to grant her some reasonable maintenance for the little tyme she hath to live".

Grace O'Malley sailed to England to petition Queen Elizabeth I for their release.

Sir Richard Bingham implied that Grace O'Malley sailed her own ship to England as he stated she brought over the son of Ulick Bourke of Erris and her grandnephew, the son of Tibbott Reagh Bourke who "attended uppon Grany O'Maille in her late beyinge at court".

Tradition but not the written sources states that Grace O'Malley met with the Queen at Greenwich Palace, wearing a fine gown; the two of them were surrounded by guards and the members of Elizabeth's royal court.

For example, Grace O'Malley is said to have refused to bow before Elizabeth because she did not recognise her as the "Queen of Ireland".

Elizabeth's courtiers were said to be very upset and worried, but Grace O'Malley informed the Queen that she carried it for her own safety.

Grace O'Malley apparently blew her nose into it and then threw the cloth into a nearby fireplace, much to the shock of the court.

Grace O'Malley informed everyone that in Ireland, a used handkerchief was considered dirty and was properly destroyed.

Grace O'Malley ordered for provision to be made for Grace out of her sons' estates, the amount to be deducted from their crown taxes.

Grace O'Malley requested Bingham to allow them ownership of their lands and property and "protect them to live in peace to enjoy their livelihoods".

The Queen stated that Grace O'Malley had "departeth with great thankfulness and with many more earnest promises that she will, as long as she lives, continue a dutiful subject, yea and will employ all her power to offend and prosecute any offender against Us".

Sir Richard Bingham disagreed with the decision of the Queen and initially did not obey her instructions, which Grace O'Malley had personally delivered to him on her return to Ireland.

Grace O'Malley had to threaten him "that she would else repaire againe into England" if he did not comply.

Grace O'Malley rebuilt her fleet with three large galleys and began to return to her former life.

Documentary evidence for Grace O'Malley's life comes mostly from English sources, as she is not mentioned in the Irish annals.

Grace O'Malley is recorded as saying, with regard to her followers,.

Westport House contains an exhibition on the life of Grace O'Malley compiled by the author Anne Chambers, who wrote a biography of Granuaile.

Grace O'Malley's life has inspired many musicians, novelists, and playwrights to create works based on her life and adventures and she has been used as a personification of Ireland:.

Grace O'Malley's name has been frequently used by our Bards, to designate Ireland.