Editing Grace O'Malley (section)

==Marriage to Ó Flaithbheartaigh ==
[[File:Clare Island.jpg|thumb|upright=1.1|Clare Island, associated with Grace O'Malley]]
O'Malley was married in 1546 to [[Ó Flaithbertaigh|Dónal an Chogaidh Ó Flaithbheartaigh]], ''[[tánaiste]]'' or heir to the [[Chief of the Name]] of [[O'Flaherty|Clan Ó Flaithbheartaigh]], which would have been a good political match for the daughter of the Chief of Clan Ó Máille. As Ó Flaithbheartaigh ''tánaiste'', Dónal an Chogaidh had expectations of one day ruling as [[Tigerna|Lord]] of [[Iar Connacht]], which was roughly equivalent to modern [[Connemara]].<ref>{{harvnb|Chambers|2003|p=42}}</ref>

She bore three children during her marriage to Dónal an Chogaidh:
* Eóghan (Owen):<ref name="chambers44">{{harvnb|Chambers|2003|p=44}}</ref> The eldest child, known to be kind and forgiving. [[Richard Bingham (soldier)|Sir Richard Bingham]] tricked him; Owen was murdered as a result, and Bingham and his troops took over his castle.
* Méadhbh (Maeve):<ref name="chambers44"/> Said to be much like her mother, she married [[Richard "the Devils Hook" Bourke]], 22nd [[Mac William Iochtar|Mac William Íochtar]] (d.1601) with whom she had several children. O'Malley and Bourke were supposedly very close, more than once he saved her from death.
* Murchadh (Murrough):<ref name="chambers44"/> Murrough was said to take after his father, for he enjoyed warfare. He often beat his sister Maeve, and refused to listen to his mother because of her sex. Many sources report that he betrayed his family and joined forces with Sir Richard Bingham after the murder of Owen. When O'Malley heard of this she swore she would never speak to Murrough again for the rest of her life, though she would often insult him. After Dónal an Chogaidh's death, O'Malley left [[Iar Connacht]] and returned to [[Umhaill]], taking with her many Clan Ó Flaithbheartaigh warriors.<ref>{{harvnb|Chambers|2003|p=45}}</ref>

In 1564, Dónal's ambitions were dashed when his kinsman [[Murrough na dTuadh Ó Flaithbheartaigh]] was appointed by Queen Elizabeth as [[Chief of the Name]] instead of him. In 1565, Dónal was killed in an ambush while hunting in the hills surrounding [[Lough Corrib]]. His assassination was, undoubtedly, part of Dónal's wider struggle against Clan Joyce for control of [[Castlekirk|Hen's Castle]] upon the lough. When the Joyces moved to take the Castle, thinking that Gráinne would not resist, she fought back successfully and forced Clan Joyce to retreat. O'Malley then returned to her own lands and established her principal residence upon Clare Island (now called [[Granuaile's Castle]]). She allegedly took a shipwrecked sailor as her lover. The affair lasted only briefly as he was killed by Clan MacMahon of Ballyvoy. Seeking vengeance, O'Malley attacked Clan MacMahon's stronghold of Doona Castle in [[Blacksod Bay]] and slew her lover's murderers upon [[Caher Island]]. Her veangence against Clan MacMahon earned Gráinne the nickname the 'Dark Lady of Doona'.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://dib.cambridge.org/viewReadPage.do?articleId=a6886&searchClicked=clicked&quickadvsearch=yes |title=Dictionary of Irish Biography – Cambridge University Press |website=dib.cambridge.org |access-date=2017-03-08}}</ref>