Granuaile Pirate Queen

Granuaile: The Pirate Queen is the first book in the Little Library collection, introducing readers to notable and fascinating figures of Irish history. Gráinne O’Malley, or Granuaile (meaning ‘Bald Gráinne’), was the daring, unconventional daughter of a sea captain (Eoghan O’Malley) who became the fierce pirate queen of Mayo. Five hundred years ago, Gráinne bravely fought and defended her castles from her family’s many enemies.

John and Fatti Burke, the award-winning creators of Irelandopedia and Foclóiropedia, bring the story of this formidable and rebellious woman to young readers in this wonderfully informative and beautifully illustrated book. We learn of all Granuaile’s adventures, including how she prevented the death of her father at the hands of a vicious pirate, bravely defended her husband’s lands and rescued the drowning Hugh de Lacy. A timeline of Granuaile’s life and a Did You Know section are included, which tell readers of the pirate queen’s continuing fame and presence in Ireland. For instance, a ship belonging to the Commissioners of Irish Lights is named the ILV Granuaile! If you’re interested in finding out how to visit Granuaile’s home island and the castle where a seat is still left vacant for her, then this book has all the information you need!