The Pirate Queen on Broadway - A new musical from the creators of Les Miserables and the producers of Riverdance

Back to: The Story

1530: Grace O’Malley is born in the lordship of Umhall, Co Mayo, daughter of the chieftain Eoin (Dudara) O’Malley.
1546: Grace is given in marriage to Donal of the Battles O’Flaherty in Connemara.
1547-1552: Gives birth to 2 sons (Eoin and Murrough) and a daughter (Margaret).
1558: Queen Elizabeth I ascends the throne. Restores Protestantism, establishes state Church of England (Anglicanism). Renaissance will reach height in England—Shakespeare, Marlowe, Spenser.
1564: Settling on Clare Island Grace begins her career of piracy ‘maintenance by land and sea’ with her father’s ships and private army.
1565: Grace rescues Hugh de Lacy from the sea, he becomes her lover but is killed by the MacMahons. She exacts revenge.
1566: The English encroach on Mayo. Grace marries Richard-In-Iron Bourke for his well defended castle, divorcing him when she has moved her ships and army in.
1567: Grace’s 3rd son Tibold is born at sea. She defends him against attack by Barbary Pirates. Grace reunites with husband in a strategic union to defend themselves from the English.
1570: Queen Elizabeth I excommunicated by Pope. Peace of Constantinople (1572) ends Turkish attacks on Europe.
1571: With Grace’s help, Richard-in-Iron becomes tanaiste (elected successor) to the MacWilliam of Mayo, the premier chiefdom in Mayo.
1576: The MacWilliam of Mayo submits to Queen Elizabeth of England. Richard-in-Iron’s position as his successor is under threat.
1577: With her army and navy in tow, Grace impresses Elizabeth’s minister, Sir Henry Sidney in Galway with her military capabilities.
1577: Grace plunders Desmond but is captured and thrown in Limerick Jail.
1578: Grace is handed over to the English Governor and imprisoned in the dungeons of Dublin Castle.
1579: Grace is released to quell her rebellious husband.
1579: Grace plunders English shipping. She routes an English army sent to besiege her at Rockfleet.
1580: Grace and Richard bring in the Scottish Gallowglass to help fight the English and secure their rights - the English are no match for them.
1581: Grace and Richard resist the encroachment of the English on their power and lands.
1583: Richard-in-Iron dies. Grace secures Rockfleet as her base.
1584: Sir Richard Bingham is appointed English Governer and sets out to destroy Grace.
1584: Grace leads a rebellion against Bingham.
1586: Bingham’s brother kills Grace’s eldest son, Eoin
1586: Bingham lures Grace to his headquarters, declares her a traitor and condemns her to death. She is rescued by her son-in-law.
1587: Grace flees to Ulster where O’Neill and his allies are plotting to unite the Irish and, with the help of Spain, drive the English from Ireland.
1588: The Spanish Armada is driven to its doom by bad weather off the Irish coast. Bingham declares war on Grace and her relations for helping the Spanish.
1589: Bingham accuses Grace of being ‘the nurse to all rebellions in Ireland’ and reports her to Elizabeth I.
1590: Bingham pressurizes Grace’s son, Murrough, to ally with him. Furious Grace attacks Murrough & intensifies her efforts against Bingham.
1591: Bingham ( seizes) Grace’s ships rendering her powerless at sea. She strikes back and seizes an English ship.
1592: Grace writes to Elizabeth seeking redress.
1593: Bingham seizes Tibold and charges him with treason, a crime punishable by death.
1593: Grace decides to sail to London to seek an audience with Elizabeth.
1593: Against Bingham’s advice Elizabeth and Grace meet - Grace secures her son’s release and permission to continue her career by sea and land.
1594: Bingham is recalled to England, leaving Grace to pursue her career.
1597: Aged 67 Grace is recorded leading her men in a retaliatory attack off the Scottish coast.
1601: The Battle of Kinsale and the final demise of the Gaelic world of Grace O’Malley.
1603: Grace dies at Rockfleet.