Granuaile: Sea Queen of Ireland (Paperback)

Granuaile ruled on land and sea in the province of Connaught over 400 years ago. A Pirate Queen and Irish Chieftain, she became a legend. We first meet Granuaile or Grace O'Malley, a young girl, on Ireland's west coast in a world of bards, brehons, chieftains and gallowglasses, rebellion and intrigue, very different to today's. Ireland is divided into 'kingdoms' ruled by chieftains. Granuaile's father is chieftain of Umhall. A strong chieftain, he protects and provides for his clan. Living in a castle on the coast, Granuaile loves the sea and wants to be like her father, to know all about sailing and navigation, and to sail the clan's ships to Spain and Scotland to trade. But she is a girl, her parents don't think it suitable for her. Granuaile becomes a better sailor than any of her father's crew and reluctantly they agree. And so the adventure and legend of the Sea Queen begins. Following her adventures, we sail on her galley to Spain where war with England affects Granuaile and Ireland. We meet her husbands, Donal of the Battles and Richard in Iron, and are on board her ship when her youngest son is born and when North African pirates attack. After many adventures and escapades we finally sail with Granuaile to London for her famous meeting with Queen Elizabeth 1 and see how they got on. And we are with Granuaile in her castle at Rockfleet where she dies in 1603.