Lived during the greater part of the Sixteenth Century

Dates Uncertain.

CRAINNE O'MAILLY, or “Grace O'Malley” as she is more commonly called, has been the heroine of many a wild and romantic tale. In the Irish and English political ballads of the time she is frequently alluded to as “Grana Wail;” and traditional stories concerning her prowess are yet rife in the West of Ireland. But history says very little concerning her. In a letter written by John O'Donovan, during the period of the Ordnance Survey of Ireland—which document is now preserved in the Library of the Royal Irish Academy, Dublin, and bears the date July 17th, 1838—referring to the O'Malley family, he says.—

“The most celebrated personage of this family that ever lived was Graina na g cearbhach, or Grace of the Gamesters, Ny-Maillé, who flourished, according to tradition, in the reign of Queen Elizabeth, by whom she was most graciously received..… She is now most vividly remembered by tradition, and people were living in the last generation who conversed with people who knew her personally. Charles Cormick, of Errus, now seventy-four years and six weeks old, saw and conversed with Elizabeth O'Donnell, of Newtown within the Mullet, who died about sixty-four years ago, and who had seen and intimately known a Mr. Walsh, who remembered Graina na g cearbhach. Walsh died at the age of 107, and his father was of the same age as Graine, and a fosterbrother of hers.”