Editing Grace O'Malley (section)

==Autonomous status==
In 1576, O'Malley engaged in the [[surrender and regrant]] process with the Lord Deputy Sir [[Henry Sidney]] in respect of her lands. Because Rockfleet was over a week's march from Dublin, and as she was so often at sea, control by the Crown was very weak.

In 1593, in his letter to protest O'Malley's claims against him, Sir Richard Bingham claimed that she was "nurse to all rebellions in the province for this forty years".<ref name="chambers52">{{harvnb|Chambers|2003|p=52}}</ref><ref>Lambeth Palace Library MS 601, p. 111</ref> Bingham was Lord President of Connacht, tasked with controlling local lords who had, until then, been mostly autonomous.

O'Malley had every reason, and used every opportunity, to limit the power of the [[Kingdom of Ireland]] over her part of the country. An expedition from [[Galway]] led by Sheriff [[William Óge Martyn]] attacked [[Granuaile's Castle|her castle at Clare Island]] in March 1579. However, they were put to flight and barely escaped.