Grace O'Malley

Born around 1530 in Mayo. Pirate, sea captain, and clan chieftain of the Ó Máille. In September 1593, at 63, she sailed to Greenwich Palace to meet Elizabeth I and petition for the release of her son Tibbott and her half-brother Dónal, both imprisoned by Sir Richard Bingham, the English governor of Connacht.

Grace spoke no English and Elizabeth no Irish, so they conducted the audience in Latin, as educated Europeans did. Grace refused to bow because she did not regard Elizabeth as her queen. She arrived carrying a dagger. She told Elizabeth it was for her own protection. Elizabeth accepted this.

When she sneezed and an English lady offered a lace handkerchief, she used it once and threw it in the fire. She got what she came for.