If you were wondering why I’d gone silent for a bit, it was this piece. It was damn hard to write. The sources were all over the map and it was hard to make a coherent story that I liked. I started and stopped a number of times. If I hadn’t said in an earlier post that I was writing about a pirate queen then I would have bailed on it and written like three other pieces in the same time.
Yes, researching the history, getting the facts right, and polishing the writing is difficult work. This was a great piece, though. Loved it. Looking forward to more.
They tried a musical a number of years back. It did okay on Broadway but I think is not considered a classic. I do wish I had seen the 2020 concert reading with Hannah Waddingham as QEI.
Also someone I need a big summer blockbuster about! Bouddica decided to take down the most powerful empire in the Western world because they razed her village and raped her daughters. The LITERAL QUEEN of Fuck Around and Find Out!
You should have mentioned (also) when she kidnapped a neighboring Kings son, because he was rude to her at her own table. She didn’t take any BS from anyone. I love this woman; named my boat after her….. Granuaille
Make sure you visit Rockfleet Castle then! She married her second husband, Richard Burke to snag Rockfleet from in. In Ireland at the time, it was legal to engage in a year-long trial marriage and after the year was up, either party could request a divorce and they would go their separate ways. Well, Gráinne brought a significant dowry to the marriage, but in the divorce contract, instead of getting her dowry back, she requested Rockfleet. Her plan for the castle was to have a land bound safe haven for her and her men, because the punishment for piracy at the time was brutal as fuck.
ANYWAY, so the year comes and goes, and Gráinne invokes her divorce clause. Burke, being an honorable man and genuinely in love with her, holds to the agreement. Well, awhile more passes, and Gráinne realizes she actually loves the guy, and asks him to take her back. Burke, still being totally besotted by the hot pirate poon, says hell yes come back. They proceeded to become a bad ass aristocratic Irish power couple a boned like, a LOT (they had three kids in like four or five years) but he had the men for land power and she had the men for water power and they were pretty chill to the people theu governed. So yeah. Rockfleet. Put it on you list!
Ok, so when you gonna write the book? We women really NEED it--and so do a s--t ton of men. All you have to do is create some more dialogue, you’ve already got all the highlights.
If you were wondering why I’d gone silent for a bit, it was this piece. It was damn hard to write. The sources were all over the map and it was hard to make a coherent story that I liked. I started and stopped a number of times. If I hadn’t said in an earlier post that I was writing about a pirate queen then I would have bailed on it and written like three other pieces in the same time.
But I powered through and I’m glad I did.
Have you written about Bouddica yet? If not can she be your next piece?
Speaking of Queens who fucked men's shit up...
Yes, researching the history, getting the facts right, and polishing the writing is difficult work. This was a great piece, though. Loved it. Looking forward to more.
This was really good! Totally worth the wait, and yeah, I did wonder about the radio silence, so I'm glad you're okay 👍
Pirates are my Roman Empire, so.
Where is my big summer blockbuster about HER?! Let me have my pirate queen!
They tried a musical a number of years back. It did okay on Broadway but I think is not considered a classic. I do wish I had seen the 2020 concert reading with Hannah Waddingham as QEI.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Pirate_Queen
And it was about Boudicca who stood up to the Romans...so..not quite the same!
Also someone I need a big summer blockbuster about! Bouddica decided to take down the most powerful empire in the Western world because they razed her village and raped her daughters. The LITERAL QUEEN of Fuck Around and Find Out!
No, it wasn't, it was about Grace O'Malley. I linked the Wikipedia entry right there.
I think you're thinking of the movie that just came out.
Sorry, they're too busy talking about remaking Harry Potter already. :/
Gods, no!
She has got to be one of my very faves when it comes to colorful powerful pirates. Blackbeard was a pu**y compared to her.
You should have mentioned (also) when she kidnapped a neighboring Kings son, because he was rude to her at her own table. She didn’t take any BS from anyone. I love this woman; named my boat after her….. Granuaille
They still make them like that. Here’s to Irish women!!!
Cheers to all of the past and present Irishwomen who understand the mightiness we hold in our power👏
Aaaand, now I I have a new hero, and some new history to scout out on my trip to Ireland in 2025. What an awesome woman.
Make sure you visit Rockfleet Castle then! She married her second husband, Richard Burke to snag Rockfleet from in. In Ireland at the time, it was legal to engage in a year-long trial marriage and after the year was up, either party could request a divorce and they would go their separate ways. Well, Gráinne brought a significant dowry to the marriage, but in the divorce contract, instead of getting her dowry back, she requested Rockfleet. Her plan for the castle was to have a land bound safe haven for her and her men, because the punishment for piracy at the time was brutal as fuck.
ANYWAY, so the year comes and goes, and Gráinne invokes her divorce clause. Burke, being an honorable man and genuinely in love with her, holds to the agreement. Well, awhile more passes, and Gráinne realizes she actually loves the guy, and asks him to take her back. Burke, still being totally besotted by the hot pirate poon, says hell yes come back. They proceeded to become a bad ass aristocratic Irish power couple a boned like, a LOT (they had three kids in like four or five years) but he had the men for land power and she had the men for water power and they were pretty chill to the people theu governed. So yeah. Rockfleet. Put it on you list!
Thank you!! We have a google drive spreadsheet going that we keep adding things to as we discover them. Rockfleet Castle is now on the list!
You definitely need to go to Mayo and take a trip out to Clare Island. That's her home turf. Her descendents still live there.
Thank you for the suggestion! It’ll be good to have a couple of options, see what fits in with our other stops.
She just has such a deep, rich history. I was so excited when I saw this entry!
One of the great stories from history. You want strong women in books and film? You don't have to make them up. They lived. Sometimes, they LIVED.
don’t ever underestimate the 2 Women who share a cause 💎🪄🧩
I'd watch the heck out of that film! 🖤
Ok, so when you gonna write the book? We women really NEED it--and so do a s--t ton of men. All you have to do is create some more dialogue, you’ve already got all the highlights.
What a fucking badass. I aspire to be her
She makes me proud to be Irish! I never knew about her before, so I thank you for sharing the knowledge. I have a new hero!
Give'em Hell lady. Give'em all kinds of Hell.
I adore Dr Gillian Kenny and urge others to read her work if you like this
https://tcd.academia.edu/GillianKenny
I first learned of her from the You're Dead to Me podcast with Dr Gillian Kenney.