Sung By: Rita Connolly br Starring: Lucy lawless br br Gráinne Ní Mháille, also known as Granuaile or Gráinne Mhaol, known in English as Grace O’Malley (c. 1530 -c.1603) is an important figure in Irish legend but was in fact a larger than life figure from 16th century Irish history. O'Malley is sometimes called 'The Mother of all Rebellions' for her part in many Irish rebellions. br br Early life br Grace was born into early 16th century Ireland, in 1530 when Henry VIII was on the throne of England. Under the policies of the English government at the time, the semi-autonomous Irish princes and lords were left mostly to their own devices. However this was to change over the course of her life and the Tudor re-conquest of Ireland gathered pace. br br Grace was the daughter of Owen Dubhdarra O'Malley, chieftain of the O'Malley clan. The O'Malleys controlled most of what is now the barony of Murrisk in South-West County Mayo and recognised as their nominal overlords the gaelicised anglo-norman Burke or de Burgo family who controlled much of what is now that county. Unusually among the Irish nobility of the time, the O' Malleys were a great seafaring family and taxed all those who fished off their coasts, which included fishermen from as far away as England. Their leader bore the ancient Irish title of The O' Malley. br br According to Irish legend, as a young girl Grace wished to go on a trading expedition to Spain with her father, and on being told she could not because her long hair would catch in the ship's ropes, cut off her hair to embarrass her father into taking her, and thus earning her the nickname "Gráinne Mhaol" (IPA: [ˈgrɑːnʲə veːl]) (Irish maol meaning "bald" or having cropped hair); the name stuck.