Grainne Uaile, also known as Grace O’ Malley, was accused of piracy and lived from 1530 to 1603. She inherited her father’s shipping company when he died and became a very wealthy woman. According to legend, she cut off all her hair because her father refused to allow her to sail with him. He claimed that her hair was too long and would get tangled in the ropes of the ship. At that time, it was also considered bad luck to have a woman on board at sea.
Grainne’s drastic response earned her the nickname “Grainne Mhaol” (maol meaning bald); the name stuck and eventually became “Graineuaile.” She was known for her battle prowess and ruthless fighting tactics at sea and also by her nickname “The Sea Queen of Connacht.” Grainne even met with Queen Elizabeth I to ask for the release of her sons and half-brother.
Director: Ciaron Davies
Writer: Ciaron Davies
Stars: Fionnuala Collins, Ciaron Davies, Peter Cosgrove
Grainne lived in a time when the Tudor conquest of Ireland was underway and spent much of her life fighting off English incursions into her lands. She was married twice and had four children, three boys and a girl; however, she was often accused of being promiscuous, having taken a lover after the death of her second husband. She was known as a fearless leader and managed to fend off an English siege of her castle.
She attacked many ships, forts and castles along the Irish coast. Her life has taken on mythological proportions in her native Ireland, becoming a Renaissance version of Boudica. She is regarded as a heroic figure and has been immortalised in the works of Irish author Anne Chambers. She has also been the inspiration for poems and ballads that appear in books such as James Joyce's Finnegans Wake and numerous theatre productions.
Loose Gripp Films has taken on this famous Irish tale and filmed a version of Grainne Uaile's story. Directed by Ciaron Davies, the film began shooting in the summer of 2013 across Ireland. The film is billed as a “wild, ruthless, raw film exploring the life of this extraordinary woman…” It is basically a biographical piece, starting with Grainne’s childhood, then moving on to her life as a married woman, her move into politics, her battles against the invasion of the English, and her meeting with Queen Elizabeth I.
The film attempts to cover seventy years in the span of three hours. Davies was interested in portraying a strong woman in the film, not one who is only used as a plot device or a love interest. He wanted to tell a story about a woman who was empowering. The style of the film has been billed as the “atmosphere of a Celtic Western” filled with fast-paced fights and battle scenes. All of the actors in this film performed their own stunts with a grueling shooting schedule. The film is set to be released shortly and is currently in post-production.
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