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Pirate Princess
Thu Feb 24, 2005
Listen in RealAudio 
Hi, I'm Bryan Yeaton, and today on the Weather Notebook, Commentator Chuck Kruger
details the story of a pirate with a weather eye.
Irish pirate princess Grainne, head of the O'Malley stronghold, anticicpated
emergencies. She habitually had her navy not only moored together, but so tied
together that the main rope passed through her castle's walls and straight up to her
bedroom. When she lay down to sleep, she wound the rope round her arm so that
she'd be first to wake should there be an alarm prompted by enemies or weather.
Grainne was known for her daring seamanship, which started when as a 19-year-old
she took immediate command of her suddenly dead father's fleet and unruly
buccaneers.
During her reign a peace was established with the English queen, which resulted in a
visit. While at Hampton Court Grainne was offered a lap dog by her Majesty.
"What's this for?" Grainne asked.
"Oh, it's a sagacious, playful, faithful little creature; it will lie in your lap.
"My lap! It's the likes of me would be doing such a thing? Keep it yourself, Queen of the
English! It is only fit for such idlers as you ..."
Regardless of the contretemps, the connection between the two helped kick-start a
relationship between Ireland and England that led to fees being charged mariners for
use of coastal waters rather than their being attacked and plundered. Thus, at least
along the west coast of Ireland, piracy became almost a thing of the past. And Grainne
remained weather-sensitive to the last.
Chuck Kruger writes from his farm on Cape Clear Island, Ireland. The Weather
Notebook is supported by Subaru and The National Science Foundation.
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