Grainne Ni Mhaille

HAPPY ST PATRICKS DAY! In honour, I am sharing the story of one of my favourite Irish heroines!

Gráinne Ní Mháille, (c.1530-c.1603), (aka Gráinne O'Malley or Grace O’Malley) was the head of the Ó Máille dynasty in the west of Ireland, a fearless Irish pirate/ warrior.

At the time of Ní Mháille’s birth, Henry VIII was King of England and held the title Lord of Ireland, meaning the semi-autonomous Irish nobility were left mostly to their own devices. However, this would change throughout Ní Mháille's life as the Tudor conquest of Ireland spread.

Grainne’s family came from Clew Bay in County Mayo. Her father, Eoghan Dubhdara Ó Máille, was lord of the Ó Máille dynasty and ruler of Umall. The Uí Mháille were one of the seafaring families of Connacht, and they built a row of castles facing the sea to protect their territory. Her mother, Margaret or Maeve, was also a Ní Mháille. Although she was the only child of Dubhdara and his wife, Grainne had a paternal half-brother called Dónal na Píopa. Against traditional customs which privilleged male heirs, Ní Mháille "was considered to be the legal retainer of the family land and seafaring activities".

The Uí Mháille taxed all those who fished off their coasts, which included fishermen from as far away as England. The head of the family was known simply by his surname as Ó Máille (anglicised as The O'Malley). Local folklore tells how, as a young girl, Ní Mháille, wished to go on a trading expedition to Spain with her father. Upon being told she could not because her long hair would catch in the ship's ropes, she cut off most 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).

As a child she most likely lived with her family, although she may have been fostered to another family, as was traditional among Irish nobility. We know that she was formally educated, as she spoke in Latin with Queen Elizabeth I in 1593. 

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

In 1546, Ní Mháille was married to Dónal an Chogaidh Ó Flaithbheartaigh, heir to the Ó Flaithbheartaigh (O'Flaherty) title, which made him an auspicious political match for the chieftain’s daughter. Theirs was a marriage of equals in terms of what they brought to the table. However, he was believed to be a bit of a useless and hot-headed husband, and Ni Mhaille largely went out pillaging alone, constructing her reputation as a ruthless pirate, a true working mother.

Together, the pair had three children, two sons and a daughter. Her youngest son, Murchadh, would prove most problematic. He was believed to take after his father, beating his sister and refusing to listen to his mother whom he considered inferior because she was a woman. Many sources report that he betrayed his family. When Ní Mháille heard of this she swore she would never speak to Murrough again for the rest of her life, though she would often insult him. Quite right.

In 1565, Dónal was killed in an ambush by local rivals while hunting in the hills. After the rivals attacked their castle, Grainne defended her home and the castle was renamed from Cock’s Castle to Hen’s Castle in her hounour.

As a widow, Grainne lost everything (including her children) under Irish law which deemed that upon her husband’s death a woman’s rights and property reverted to the ownership of her closest male relative. Gráinne subsequently returned to her own lands, but refused to submit to male authority and established her principal residence on Clare Island (now called Granuaile's Castle). She kept some of Donal’s ships and troops and continued to pillage, continuing to carve out her fearsome reputation. 

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Grainne used her newfound freedom to have her fun with various lovers, probably mothering more illegitimate children. It is said that she took a shipwrecked sailor as her lover, although he was quickly killed by the MacMahons of Ballyvoy. Seeking revenge, Gráinne attacked the MacMahon castle of Doona in Blacksod Bay and killed her lover's murderers, earning her the nickname “the Dark Lady of Doona'.

By 1566, Ní Mháille had married a second time, this time to Risdeárd an Iarainn ("Iron Richard") Bourke, his nickname deriving from his ironworks at Burrishoole. This marriage was slightly unusual, as her first husband had killed Richard’s brother. Must’ve been a bit awks. Together, they had a son who would become the first Viscount Mayo. The story goes that shortly after giving birth, she fought off pirates who attacked her home expecting her to be vulnerable and incapacitated.

Ni Mhaille’s thirst for revenge was still not quenched and she returned to Doona Castle, this time claiming it for herself.

She once kidnapped a young boy to punish his family for refusing to provide her with dinner. After the family recovered their heir, she made them promise always to set  place for her at the table, should she happen toc all again. She was also infamous for attacking during prayer, with the MacMahons and before with another lord who stole property from her and fled to a church for sanctuary. More than twenty years after her death, an English Lord Deputy of Ireland recalled her ability as a leader of fighting men, noting the fame she still had among the Irish people. She became known as the “nurse of all rebellions” which seems to have been quite a fitting name. 

Elizabeth I continued her father’s policy of surrender and regrant  (imposing English culture and “civilization” in Ireland through centralised power). The Irish were increasingly portrayed as dangerous barbarians and rebellions broke out across Ireland in protest against the seizure of Irish lands by the English. Elizabeth was believed to be turning a blind eye to the slaughter of Irish men, women and children.

The English seized Grainne’s husbands’ lands. Surprisingly though, Grainne opted not to rebel and instead negotiated with the English. She offered the English representative ships and troops in return for her land (although she did charge him for the pleasure of visiting her lands, so she didn’t totally roll over!) This diplomacy cast her as a traitor in the eyes of the Irish, however, and she was imprisoned in horrific conditions in Dublin Castle by the Earl of Desmond.

She was released after 2 years to a new title – Lady Burke, her husband having struck a deal with the English. In 1583, Lord Burke died and she returned to a life of pillaging and plundering. She astutely manipulated both English and Irish law to manipulate the system to her advancement. She also tied her boat to her bed so that no one could steal it! Inventive af.

In the late 16th century, English power steadily grew in Ireland and Ní Mháille's power was steadily encroached upon. She became targeted by the English administrator Sir Richard Bingham: He burnt her lands, seized her goods, and slaughtered her family. While he was generally genocidal in his treatment of the Irish, he was particularly devoted to destroying Grainne. 

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Bingham captured Grainne and taunted her with death. She escaped, but in 1593, when her two sons Tibbot Burke and Murrough O'Flaherty, and her half-brother Dónal na Píopa were captured by Bingham, Ní Mháille sailed to England to petition Queen Elizabeth I for their release. Elizabeth I famously sent Ní Mháille a list of questions, which were answered and returned to Elizabeth. While it is still debated whether she was actually admitted to the Queen’s presence, but the story goes that the two met at Greenwich Palace.

Ní Mháille refused to bow before Elizabeth because she didn't recognise her as the "Queen of Ireland". However, Elizabeth seemed rather fond of Grainne and when guards freaked out after finding a dagger in the Irishwoman’s pocket, Elizabeth accepted her right to carry it for personal safety (good old Liz knew that women had to have their wits about them!). Grainne played upon the Queen’s sympathies and portrayed herself as a poor oppressed farmer who had submitted to English rule and yet been punished by Bingham relentlessly.

There is also a popular story that Ní Mháille had sneezed and was given an expensive lace-edged handkerchief from a noblewoman. She apparently blew her nose into it and then threw the cloth into a nearby fireplace, much to the horror of the court. Ní Mháille informed everyone that in Ireland, a used handkerchief was considered dirty and was properly destroyed, inverting the view of the Irish and filthy and uncivilized.

The discussion would have been carried out in Latin, as Ní Mháille spoke no English and Queen Elizabeth I spoke no Irish. After much talk, the women came to an agreement that included that Elizabeth would remove Bingham from his position in Ireland, and Ní Mháille would support the English against Irish rebellion. 

Bingham refused to obey Elizabeth’s instructions and continued his persecution of Grainne. After complaining to Elizabeth a second time, Bingham was removed but several of Ní Mháille's other demands (including the return of the cattle and land that Bingham had stolen from her) remained unmet. Soon, Elizabeth had returned Bingham to Ireland where he continued to haunt Ní Mháille and in 1594 troops were quartered on her lands.

As the Nine Years' War escalated, Ní Mháille sought to retrench her position with the crown. On 18 April 1595 she petitioned Lord Burghley, complaining of the activities of troops and asking to hold her estate for Elizabeth I. She added that 'her sons, cousins, and followers will serve with a hundred men at their own charges at sea upon the coast of Ireland in Her Majesty's wars upon all occasions...to continue dutiful unto Her Majesty, as true and faithful subjects'. Throughout the war she encouraged and supported her son Tibbot Burke to fight for the Crown against Tyrone's confederation of Irish lords.

She most likely died around the age of 70 at Rockfleet Castle around 1603, the same year as Elizabeth's death, though the year and place of Ní Mháille's death are disputed. Grainne was kept alive in folklore and continues to be an influential and inspiring feminist icon in Ireland today – often envisaged as a personfiication of Ireland itself, standing up to English oppression. Who cares about St Patrik, I say we have a national Grainne O’Malley day instead!

 

Shoutout to You’re Dead To Me with Greg Jenner and Dr Gillian Kenney, which provided most of the facts for this post, in a much more entertaining way! Check it out!