Happy St. Paddy's Day to all Arrr Irish Mates out there! In honor o' St. Patrick's Day we be ready to tell ye about a Legendary Irish Pirate, Grace O'Malley!

Grace O'Malley was a wildly successful Irish Clan Chieftain n' Pirate Captain. In some history books she be known as the Sea Queen of Connacht. Grace inherited both her penchant for Piracy n' her Chieftain status from her father upon his death. Her family held a swath o' territory on the west coast of Ireland, n' they were able to build several castles to protect their shores n' the fishermen that they taxed.

O'er time she also had several husbands n' lovers, most of whom met their end in battle. Grace was a warrior herself howe'er. She fell for a shipwrecked sailor who was 15 years younger than her after her first husband was killed. When another clan killed her new man, she went to their abode at Doona Castle during "Blacksod May" n' killed the guilty party. After the attack, people called her the "Dark Lady of Doona'. She had four legitimate children o'er her lifetime, though rumor suggests there was at least one out of wedlock.

Grace's piratical career frequently revolved around "taxing" merchants for protection, n' resistance was met with violence n' murder. She was able to do this by commandin' the loyalty of her clan as well as her first husband's clan upon his death. Additionally she was able to recruit Irish n' Scottish Mercenaries to raid the West Coast o' Scotland. All of her piratical pursuits were accomplished while supporting Ireland in its many rebellions against the English Royalty. 

She was infamous enough that she got an audience with Queen Elizabeth I to negotiate the release of her sons, though she would not kneel. Both made promises during the negotiation, but broke them all later. Including that Grace would cease pirate activities!

Among Pirates, Grace was a rarity in that she was able to retire n' die peacefully around 1603, the same year as Elizabeth I.