Gráinne Mhaol, Pirate Queen of Connacht: Behind the Legend Author(s): Theresa Denise Murray Reviewed work(s): Source: History Ireland, Vol. 13, No. 2 (Mar. - Apr., 2005), pp. 16-20 Published by: Wordwell Ltd. Stable URL: http://www.jstor.org/stable/27725236 . Accessed: 16/01/2012 23:04 Your use of the JSTOR archive indicates your acceptance of the Terms & Conditions of Use, available at . http://www.jstor.org/page/info/about/policies/terms.jsp JSTOR is a not-for-profit service that helps scholars, researchers, and students discover, use, and build upon a wide range of content in a trusted digital archive. We use information technology and tools to increase productivity and facilitate new forms of scholarship. For more information about JSTOR, please contact [email protected].

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GR?INNE

MHAOL, queen

pirate behind

the

of Connacht:

legend Vox.1

Theresa

Denise

Murray

examines

the

career of Grace O'Malley (Gr?inne Ni M?ille or Gr?inne Mhaol), legendary one of the of Connacht and pirate queen most enigmatic

folklore.

in Irish history

as 'a Vilified adversaries by her English woman who hath imprudently passed the Grace O'Malley was part of womanhood', in chroniclers ignored by contemporary survived in native Ireland, yet her memory later lionised her as Gr?inne Nationalists a warrior

Mhaol,

figures

who

would

come

over

the

sea with

Irish soldiers to rout the English. She finally became an icon of international feminism, both as an example of a woman and as a victim of strong and independent laws. this Nevertheless, misogynistic subject of verse, romantic

music,

novels,

documentaries

and

an

centre in mystery. remains shrouded interpretive Gr?inne Ni M?ille's mythical status is a double-edged sword that, while ensuring that her name survived, has obscured the reality of the woman behind the legend. She

was

an

extraordinary

woman

who

lived,

loved,

fought and survived during a pivotal period of Irish history that saw the collapse of the Gaelic order and the ruination of Ireland's ruling ?lite. Political and social background Any attempt to glimpse the woman behind the legend must consider the period in which she lived, the forces arraigned against her, and the society which gave rise to her. Ireland in the early decades of the sixteenth century consisted of two distinct cultures. Dublin, its bordering counties and the coastal cities were technically English and regarded their hinterland with fear. Itwas a frontier society. The rest of the country was composed of the Gaelicised Old English and the native Irish. Living with in autonomous territories, they enjoyed traditional pas times such as stealing cattle, poaching castles, feuding, A system of intermarrying and vying for domination.

def?i ffcjBfntijfc>ni

Cfayten ?lufa..

to families aligned themselves existed; weaker clientship were means and bonds cemented of trib ones, powerful by ute, military aid, marriage and fosterage. The Ui Mailles were clients of MacWilliam Iachtarach, or the Mayo Bourkes, and in turn had clients of their own. Strict laws governed all for mal aspects of these relationships; a complex interdependen cy bound the families together in a hierarchical society in which status and pride were of paramount importance. to proclaim him Henry VIII was the first English monarch self 'king of Ireland', thus signalling a profound change in official Crown policy. Henceforth, English monarchs would no longer be content to hold what they had in Ireland and seek only to halt the Gaelicisation of the Old English. A series of measures were introduced to establish a centralised system of government and to Anglicise the entire population. Poli 16 History

IRELAND March/April 2005

cies such as 'Surrender and Regrant' proved attractive to many In 1541 of Ireland's ?lite. the MacWilliam ruling the earl of Uachtarach?of the Galway Bourkes?became Clanricard. By the following year O'Neill was earl of Tyrone, and O'Brien was earl of Fitzgerald was earl of Desmond Iachtarach nor the Ui Thomand. Neither the MacWilliam M?ille availed of the king's largess. Itwas during Elizabeth's reign that real inroads were made into Gaelic Ireland. Settlement and plantation by English born

adventurers,

of whom

many

as Crown

acted

officials,

was encouraged and English writ began to penetrate to the to the farthest reaches of the island. Elizabeth's commitment of Reformation, coupled with the usurpation by newcomers the privileges of the old ruling classes, inevitably led to vio lence and social upheaval. Gr?inne was a member of the Gaelic aristocracy. Born around 1530, she was the only child of Owen Dubhdara Ui M?ille, the O'Malley of Umhall Uachtarach, and Margaret Ni in lar Chon and their neighbours M?ille. The O'Malleys, nacht, the O'Flahertys, were unusual among Gaelic families in that they earned their living from both land and sea. Dubh in exchange for luxury dara U? M?ille traded raw materials ferried Scottish mercenaries, fished, plundered, goods, engaged in opportunistic piracy, and levied a toll on all ship ping in U? M?ille waters. They existed as an independent clan, paying and receiving tribute. O'Flaherty Marriage to D?nal-an-Chogaidh We can only speculate as to Gr?inne's early years; little is of the Gaelic ?lite, male or known about the education sources do exist that demonstrate that female. Nonetheless, were in Ireland well noblewomen relatively sixteenth-century O'Fla educated. In 1546 Gr?inne married D?nal-an-Chogaidh to the O'Flaherty. The herty, t?naiste, or heir presumptive, marriage produced two sons and a daughter. As the daughter of a chieftain, Gr?inne would have brought a substantial Under Gaelic law the dowry, or spr?idh, to the marriage. use to be available for the had husband, by dowry, although of the marriage. returned intact to the wife on dissolution Stringent sureties were required to ensure that this occurred, forced to seek legal redress. though wives were sometimes Women retained control of any personal property they brought to the marriage and were entitled to acquire addition al property independently of their husbands. Such property could include troops, ships and a plethora of other goods. to D?nal-an her marriage Gr?inne's activities during that her indicate among personal property Chogaidh may were both galleys and men, a theory upheld by her possession of at least three galleys following his death. to D?nal-an relates tradition that, owing Popular Chogaidh's ineptness, Gr?inne assumed the mantle of chief he was a hot-tem tainship of the O'Flahertys. Undoubtedly to take offence and to seek and impetuous man, quick pered retribution. He was, for example, engaged in constant feuding with the Joyces.

Above left:GraceO'Malley (left) ispresented at court to Queen Elizabeth I in 1593.

(right) Above

[Anthologie Hibernica, vol. II)

right: Sir Richard

1584?The

Irishwere

Bingham, never

appointed

tamed with

president

words

IRELAND March/April 2005

but with

swords'.

17

some

according

to

ed Cock's

Castle

courage,

was

sources,

raid

repelled?a

on

in Lough Corrib, which,

henceforth

known

as Hen's

the

disput

to her

owing

Castle.

Settled on Clare Island Under Gaelic law, Gr?inne was unable to inherit O'Flaher ty land, so she returned to Umhall and settled on Clare Island. This is often portrayed as her being forced out, laws. despite her leadership abilities, owing to misogynistic But

under

the

same

laws

a woman

was

entitled

to

com

plete control of her own property. In contrast, under Eng to a woman lish common law any property belonging on mar became the of her husband property automatically riage, and the wife was granted a life interest in a percent age, usually a third, of all property following his death. Gr?inne now began in earnest, with three galleys and a number of smaller boats, to earn her 'maintenance by land and sea'. The legend of the 'pirate queen' of Connacht was born. An unsophisticated and opportunistic form of piracy was endemic in Ireland, comprising short-distance raids along the coast or to the islands, levying tolls on passing shipping and plundering any vessel foolish enough to be unprotected.

In her petition to Elizabeth in 1593, Gr?inne her activities of this time by explaining that

justified

in (National

'discord

tain

PortraitGallery, London)

History

of Connacht

In 1564 Murrough-na-dTuadh sought to O'Flaherty extend his territory. This was a situation that the Crown authorities could not ignore, and one which, using the tac tic of 'divide and conquer', they fully exploited. A deal was in return for his sub brokered with Murrough-an-dTuadh: mission he was granted overlordship of lar Chonnacht, not the chieftain but ousting existing only putting D?nal as in t?naiste na-Chogaidh's jeopardy. Before position D?nal had time to react, he was mortally wounded by the skirmish. Tradition credits Joyces during a territorial Gr?inne with exacting revenge. She is said to have led?or,

. . . and

dissention

. . .

[where]

. . . took arms by strong hand

every

to make

chief

head

MHAOL

GR?INNE

con in like manner which against his neighbours fond subject to take arms and strained your highness by force to maintain herself and her people'.

to official functions. It is possible, given the fiery that Richard-na-Iarainn of both upset partners, personalities Gr?inne, and found himself, temporarily, barred from the nied him

house.

The actual scale of her activities is difficult to assess. She is to Water traditionally credited with attacks from Donegal ford. One tale pertains to a refusal of hospitality by the earl of Howth. Gr?inne is said to have kidnapped his heir and demanded, as ransom, the promise of the setting of an extra place at each meal at Howth Castle. Later historians ascribe the

tale

to Richard-na-Iarainn

Bourke.

at

records

However,

Howth Castle state that the arrangement was made with of Gr?inne. Little is known about the size or composition the fleet that she used to 'maintain' herself. Estimates vary from five to twenty vessels at any one time. Most would have

been

fast,

small,

craft, perfect

oar-

manoeuvrable,

and

sail-driven

the coast but unsuitable

for hugging

for the

sea.

open

to Richard-na-Iarainn Bourke Marriage On her marriage to Richard-na-Iarainn Bourke of Burrishoole and Carra in 1567, Gr?inne retained possession of her fleet and continued to ply her trade. Her new husband's territory comprised the north shore of Clew Bay, his main residence being at Carraigahowley. One of the more persistent legends states

that

visional

Gr?inne's for one

marriage year.

to Richard-na-Iarainn

However,

there

exists

no

was evidence

pro for

the Gaelic legal codes. At the this form of marriage within end of the year Richard is reputed to have returned to Car raigahowley to find his clothes packed, doors locked and his wife dismissing him from the battlements. Traditionally this has been described as their divorce. Yet their later life raises another interpretation. Gr?inne

is The birth of the couple's only child, Tibbot-na-Long, also the stuff of legend. Apparently he was born on one of Gr?inne's galleys. The following day the ship was attacked by Algerian corsairs: Gr?inne is said to have arisen from her bed and turned the tide of battle. of Connacht Composition The appointment of Sir Edward Fitton as provincial president in 1569 saw the Crown begin to make serious provision for the subjugation of Connacht. Following the Battle of Shrule in 1570, the MacWilliam agreed to pay the Crown a yearly rent of 200 marks, though he died shortly afterward. Shane with MacOliverus Bourke was elected the MacWilliam, as his t?naiste. In 1575 Lord Deputy Sir Richard-na-Iarainn Henry Sidney visited the province. During this third term of a new taxation office, his task was to introduce system known as 'composition'. Having met with little success, he returned in 1576 and summoned the lords to ameeting, dur ing which he met 'amost feminine sea captain called Granny Imallye and offered her services onto me'. Although he didn't avail of her 'three galleys and two hundred fighting men', he did sail with her to inspect the seaward defences of Galway, a service for which she successfully billed him. Sidney noted her show of strength and concluded that 'This was a notori ous

woman

as

forced future

Richard-na-Iarainn

continued

to present

themselves

the

coasts

of

Ireland'.

set off to of her offer to Sidney, Gr?inne was in she and held Limerick plunder Desmond; captured Gaol to be used as a bargaining chip. During her captivity Lord Grey de Wilton succeeded Sidney. The MacWilliam was

and wife until his death. She remained based at Car raigahowley rather than returning to Umhall, which would under Gaelic law. On his have been a legal requirement she took the title Lady Bourke and accompa knighthood,

and

man

in all

Within

weeks

to

to

submit

as

successor

the

was

and

Crown,

no

Richard-na-Iarainn's

a foregone

longer

In

conclusion.

1578 Desmond handed Gr?inne over to Lord Justice Drury. of his loyalty . . . sending unto you This 'demonstration Grany O'Mayle' impressed Elizabeth's privy council. Gr?inne was transferred to Dublin Castle in chains. in She was released in 1579, and by March was ensconced a was where she Martin, Carraigahowley, besieged by Captain sent with orders to capture her for attacks on Galway ship 'so spirited ping. Martin was lucky to evade capture himself, was

the

defence

made

the

by

woman'.

extraordinary

Holy war inMunster In July 1579 James FitzMaurice Fitzgerald attempted to start a 'holy war' in Munster. Sir Nicholas Malby, who had succeed ed Fitton as provincial president of Connacht, was sent to the earl of Desmond was quell the rebellion. In November for aid and declared a traitor. He appealed to the MacWilliam was

refused.

to plunder

used

however,

Richard-na-Iarainn,

an excuse

the territories

the

conflict

of O'Kelly

as

and Lord

Athenry.

Left: Rockfleet of Grace's to

tower-house,

second

live there

after

his death,

of natural

Bay, main

residence

Bourke.

Grace

continued

in April

1583.

(From

Clew

Carraigahowley, Richard-na-Iarainn

husband,

causes,

Antiquities of west Mayo by Chris Corlett, Wordwell 2001) Far right: Queen agreed

Elizabeth

to hear Gr?inne's

I c. 1593?despite petition

Bingham's

and have

her claim

protests,

she

investigated.

(National PortraitGallery, London)

History

IRELAND March/April 2005

In February 1580 Malby, returning briefly to Connacht, acted swiftly against Richard-na-Iarainn by garrisoning Bur rishoole.

succession

The

land.

problem

Richard-na-Iarainn

and

when

re-erupted

died and his brother

MacOliverus

claimed

Gr?inne

Shane

both

combined

title and forces

and

took to the field with a force of nearly 2000 men. With rebellion in Munster, Malby and de Wilton had no choice but to acquiesce to the couple's demands, and on 16 April 1580 Richard-na-Iarainn was ennobled and given full title as the MacWilliam. As part of the deal he agreed to rule by English law, to pay rent to the Crown, and to lodge and feed 200 soldiers for 42 days per annum. In 1582 Lord and Lady Bourke moved to Lough Mask invaded Richard MacOl Castle. In May Richard-na-Iarainn iverus's land, using Malby's troops, on the pretext of collect ing rent arrears. Ironically, the following year Malby's agent, to collect outstanding Theobald Dillon, whilst attempting rent,

stated

... met

'M'William

indignantly:

me

and

woman.

Her

troubles,

were

however,

only

re-offered

Surrender

and

to abol

and worked

Regrant,

ish the clientship tributes. Bingham, preferring confronta tional methods, appears to have focused on Gr?inne as a source of trouble. He took Tibbot-na-Long hostage and had him incarcerated in Ballymote Castle for a year. in Bingham was charged with imposing the composition In 1585 he held the first session inMayo. Some Connacht. of the Bourkes refused to attend and barricaded themselves in Hag's Castle at Lough Mask, which Bingham promptly Later that year, following attacked and demolished. the death of the MacWilliam, Bingham conferred the title and lands on MacOliverus's eldest son, over the claim of t?naiste Edmund Bourke of Castlebar. The Bourkes rose in rebellion, and secretly by joined by among others the Ui Mailles, Gr?inne's

Richard

son-in-law

'the

Devil's

Hook'

Bourke.

Bingham ordered his brother John to seize the lands of son Owen. Gr?inne Gr?inne's later testified that Owen offered hospitality, and in return had been 'fast bound . . . [and] cruelly murdered having twelve deadly wounds'. Bing ham

claimed

and

in pursuit

that Owen was

'being

. .. made

prisoner

his

escape

slain'.

Incensed by the killing of her son, Gr?inne became an active rebel against Bingham, who dispatched John to cap ture her and seize her property. Gr?inne was released on the History

IRELAND March/April 2005

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beginning.

Sir Richard Bingham In 1584 Sir John Perrot was appointed lord deputy, and Sir Richard Bingham was made provincial president of Con nacht. Perrot had been ordered to undo the sense of alien ation caused by the harsh methods employed by his prede cessors. While Perrot wished to follow a conciliatory route, Bingham stated that 'The Irish were never tamed with words but with swords'. In 1585 Perrot introduced another compo sition,

&>" -

.:-a:

his wife

Grany My Mayle with all their force, and did swer they wolde hav my lyfe for comying soo furr into ther country and specialie his wife wold fight with me'. In April 1583 Richard-na-Iarainn died of natural causes. Gr?inne acted to ensure that she got her 'third' and 'gath ered together all her own followers and with 1,000 head of cows and mares departed and became a dweller in Carraiga howley'; no doubt she also took her fleet. Gr?inne appears to have decided to have the best of both legal codes: she had property and her own. At possession of both MacWilliam the age of 53, Gr?inne Ni M?ille was a wealthy and indepen dent

*' '

4????? :!m?--

pledge of the Devil's Hook, who immediately openly joined the rebellion. Gr?inne fled to Ulster, whether to seek aid or because 'fear compelled her to fly by sea' is open to specula as tion. She was forced to remain in exile for three months a result of storm damage to her fleet. By late 1587 the Bourke rebellion had collapsed, and Bingham was sent to Flanders to aid the Dutch against and sailed for Dublin Spain. In his absence, Gr?inne appealed to Sir John Perrot, who granted her, and her chil dren, full pardon for past offences. In 1588 Spain launched its Armada against England. Fearing that the Spanish would the land in Ireland and unite with rebellious chieftains, Crown recalled Bingham and replaced Perrot with Sir William Fitzwilliam. Bingham issued orders to seek out and to the Devil's kill any survivors, playing close attention Hook's

territory.

In 1589 the final Bourke rebellion ignited when Bing ham ordered troops 'to prosecute and followe all and every of

the

said

traytors

. . .

yt

shall

be

lawful

for

you

...

to

flared. Gr?inne praie, burn and spolie'. Open conflict was in and of Aran'. Connacht the isles 'byrned spoyled turmoil. Elizabeth ordered Fitzwilliam to make peace with the Bourkes, and he, in turn, tried to rein Bingham in. The a list of Bourkes, along with English officials, presented charges against Bingham, who was tried and acquitted in 1590. On his return to Connacht, Gr?inne bore the brunt of she was at sea he devastated her rage. While Bingham's On learning that her son, Mur lands at Carraigahowley. had sided with Bingham, she 'burned his rough-na-Moar,

hang her. Despite Bingham's protests, Elizabeth agreed to hear Gr?inne's petition and have her claim investigated. The only charge actually laid against her was her chastisement of rest

the

Murrough-na-Moar;

of

her

were

activities

dismissed

as she 'hath at times lived out of order'. Elizabeth recom mended the release of Tibbot-na-Long and that monies be on

taxes

from

diverted

her

estates

sons'

a pension

to provide

for Gr?inne. Bingham was ordered to 'protect them to live in peace and enjoy their livelihoods'. Elizabeth remained confi dent that Gr?inne 'as long as she lives, [will] continue a duti ful subject'. Bingham proved reluctant to comply with his monarch's wishes. Realising that his adversary had been granted leave to

towen and spoiled his people of their cattayle and goods'. In 1592 Tibbot-na-Long initiated a rising and attacked Gr?inne faced he again Bingham. Bingham's vengeance; her her and fleet stationed plundered territory, impounded ships in Clew Bay, leaving her propertyless with no means of rebuilding. Tibbot-na-Long submitted. Gr?inne

and Elizabeth

I

Gr?inne, having lost everything, appealed directly to Eliza beth. Her initial petition, dated 1593, pleads age and pover 'to envade with sword and fire all your ty, and pledges highness

enemyes'.

She

'some

requested

reasonable

main

tenance' and the return of seized property in exchange for total allegiance. While the petition was en route to London, the earl of Tyrone was secretly acting to begin a rebellion against the Crown. Tibbot-na-Long was implicated, impris oned and charged with treason. Fearing that Tibbot would be 'executed before . . . justly tried', Gr?inne gambled on a personal appeal and sailed for London. She is known to have been at court from June to September, during which time she replied to Lord Treasurer 'Articles of Interrogatory'. She Burghley's eighteen explained how circumstances compelled her to seek a liv ing from the sea, and how, following Owen's murder, Richard Bingham had 'wiled her to remove from her late dwelling in Borisowle and to come and dwell under him'. During her journey she was seized and bound by John Bingham, and all her property confiscated. Released on the Devil's Hook's pledge, 'fear compelled her to fly' when he rebelled. She insisted that since Perrot's pardon she had lived a farmer's life and 'utterly did she give over her for mer

Bingham was outraged. He wrote to the court, stating that he had enough evidence, since her pardon, to justly

hand

sea

to

without

having

to

or

sureties

provide

In

O'Donnell. geous

1597

accommodation

Tibbot-na-Long with the

reached Crown.

an

advanta

Bingham's

succes

sor, Sir Conyers Clifford, recorded a payment of ?200 to Tib bot ,'hismother and [halt] brother' for their services. The last official record of Gr?inne dates to 1601, when the captain of an English warship reported a brief engagement with 'a galley Imet . . . she rowed with thirty oars and had on

board

...

100

shot

good

. . . This

galley

comes

out

of

Connacht and belongs to Grace O'Malley'. Gr?inne Ni M?ille is believed to have died in 1603. Behind the myths of Grace O'Malley, pirate queen, and icon of Ireland, stands Gr?inne Ni M?ille, a Gr?inne Mhaol, to ensure that and determined courageous woman, proud she and her family received their rights. She earned and lost fortunes, each time rebuilding 'by land and sea'. Her enemies were those who sought to impoverish her or her children. The ethnic origin of those enemies was immaterial. She used about every method at her disposal and had no compunction bending the truth, as her enemies had none about bending the law. She exploited the ignorance of English officials, and took what she could, when she could. Ultimately, Gr?inne Ni M?ille was a survivor who maintained the status of her family when the great earls had been forced into exile. S Theresa D. Murray College Cork.

is a history undergraduate at University

Further

trade'.

Above: Map

return

hostages for good behaviour, he ordered troops to accompa on her lands, obliging ny her and stationed a detachment her to feed them. On the brink of poverty, Gr?inne again appealed to Elizabeth. In 1595 she sailed for London, where she requested to be allowed to Tyve secure of my life'. A commission was appointed to investigate her claims. Bing ham, fearing new charges which had been laid against him, fled to England and was imprisoned. In December 1595 Tyrone's ally, Red Hugh O'Donnell, as the MacWilliam, took installed his own candidate hostages and repeatedly plundered Mayo. He specifically sent O'Doherty to attack Gr?inne. Once again, Gr?inne set about rebuilding in the only way she knew. The Bourkes concluded to support Elizabeth or that they had only two choices,

of

corner,

at the bottom),

Ireland's just west

north-west

coast

of Lough Mask

is indicated

the territory

c. 1600.

(the second of

In the bottom

left

of the three

lakes

'Grany O Maile'.

N. Canny, Making Ireland British 1580-1650 (Oxford, 2001). A. Chambers, Granuaile: Ireland's pirate queen c. 1530-1603 (Dublin, 2003). S.G. Ellis, Ireland in the age of the Tudors 1447-1603 (Longman, London, 1998). M. MacCurtain and M. O'Dowd (eds), Women modem Ireland (Dublin, 1991). 20

IRELAND

in early

2005