The O'Malleys of Mayo
Grace O'Malley is one of the most famous women in Irish history. She was also known as the Pirate Queen and Granuaile. Her family, the O'Malleys, were one of the most powerful Irish clans. Her father was the chieftain of the clan. They controlled most of south-west Mayo.
The Tower House at Kildavnet, Achill
Courtesy of John McNamara
Courtesy of John McNamara
The O'Malleys were a great sea-faring family. They controlled the waters off the coast of Mayo and charged taxes to those who wished to fish there.
The O'Malley Clan had a number of strongholds along the western seabord including towers at Kildavnet on Achill Island and also one on Clare Island . In time, Grace O'Malley would use these strongholds to maintain her control of the waters off the coast of Mayo.
The Pirate Queen
It is thought that Grace went on many sea voyages as a young woman. In time, she came to command her own fleet of ships. The ships were small and fast and allowed Grace and her crews to stage surprise attacks on ships filled with valuable cargos. She gained a reputation for being a fearsome pirate.
Rockfleet Castle, Co. Mayo
Grace O'Malley lived at Rockfleet Castle after marrying Richard an Iarainn Bourke. The castle is located about 8km from Newport, overlooking Clew Bay.
© Mayo NaturallyRockfleet Castle, Co. Mayo
© Mayo Naturally
© Mayo Naturally
Rockfleet Castle, Co. Mayo
Grace O'Malley lived at Rockfleet Castle after marrying Richard an Iarainn Bourke. The castle is located about 8km from Newport, overlooking Clew Bay.
© Mayo NaturallyGrace was married twice. Her second husband was Richard an Iarainn Bourke. He owned rich iron mines and a lot of land. When he died, she was not allowed under law to inherit his wealth. However, she chose to ignore the law and claimed his property as her own.
Grace was a thorn in the side of the authorities. She obeyed no-one's rules except her own. She and her crews terrorised the merchant ships which sailed near the West Coast. As the authorities became increasingly hard on her, she lost her ships and her way of making a living.
She sailed to England in 1593 and demanded an audience with Queen Elizabeth. She convinced the Queen to allow her sons to inherit their father's fortune and allow her to continue to earn her living from the sea.
Through her skillful negotiation, Grace managed to retain the O'Malley family's power base in Mayo. She died in 1603 but her life of adventure ensured she was not forgotten.