266. WALK THRU THURS - Hebrews 6:16-20
Channel: Croak and Crow
Date: 2022-03-17

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Happy St. Patrick's Day!
Where were you on St. Patricks Day 2022?  ☘️- We were walking thru it 🍀 
Grace O'Malley (c. 1530 – c. 1603) was the head of the Ó Máille dynasty in the west of Ireland & the daughter of Eóghan Dubhdara Ó Máille, he and his family were based in Clew Bay, County Mayo.

In Irish folklore she is commonly known as Gráinne Mhaol and is a well-known historical figure in sixteenth-century Irish history. In popular culture she is often referred to as "The Pirate Queen".

O'Malley is not mentioned in the Irish annals, so documentary evidence for her life comes mostly from English sources, especially the eighteen "Articles of Interrogatory". She is mentioned in the English State Papers and in other documents of the kind, as well.

 Upon her father's death she took over active leadership of the lordship by land and sea, despite having a brother.
She allegedly took a shipwrecked sailor as her lover. The affair only lasted briefly as he was killed by the MacMahons of Ballyvoy. Seeking vengeance, O'Malley attacked the MacMahon castle of Doona in Blacksod Bay and killed her lover's murderers on Cahir Island. Her attack on Doona Castle earned her the nickname 'Dark Lady of Doona'. More than twenty years after her death, an English Lord Deputy of Ireland recalled her ability as a leader of fighting men, noting the fame she still had among the Irish people.

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". 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 her castle at Clare Island in March 1579. However, they were put to flight and barely escaped.

O'Malley then met with the Queen at Greenwich Palace, wearing a fine gown; the two of them were surrounded by guards and the members of Elizabeth's royal court. O'Malley refused to bow before Elizabeth because she didn't recognise her as the "Queen of Ireland". It's also rumoured that she had a dagger concealed about her person, which guards found upon searching her. Elizabeth's courtiers were said to be very upset and worried, but O'Malley informed the Queen that she carried it for her own safety. Elizabeth accepted this and seemed untroubled.

Some also reported that O'Malley had sneezed and was given a lace-edged handkerchief from a noblewoman. She apparently blew her nose into it and then threw the cloth into a nearby fireplace, much to the shock of the court. O'Malley informed everyone that in Ireland, a used handkerchief was considered dirty and was properly destroyed.

Their discussion was carried out in Latin, as O'Malley spoke no English and Queen Elizabeth I spoke no Irish. After much talk, the women came to an agreement that included that Elizabeth would remove Bingham from his position in Ireland, and O'Malley would stop supporting the Irish lords' rebellions.

Bingham was removed but several of O'Malley's other demands (including the return of the cattle and land that Bingham had stolen from her) remained unmet, and soon Elizabeth sent Bingham back into Ireland. Bingham continued to plague O'Malley and in 1594 troops were quartered on her lands.

Westport House in County Mayo, Ireland, was the seat of the Browne dynasty, Marquesses of Sligo, direct descendants of Grace O'Malley. 

Hebrews 6:16-20
16 People swear by someone greater than themselves, and the oath confirms what is said and puts an end to all argument. 17 Because God wanted to make the unchanging nature of his purpose very clear to the heirs of what was promised, he confirmed it with an oath. 18 God did this so that, by two unchangeable things in which it is impossible for God to lie, we who have fled to take hold of the hope set before us may be greatly encouraged. 19 We have this hope as an anchor for the soul, firm and secure. It enters the inner sanctuary behind the curtain, 20 where our forerunner, Jesus, has entered on our behalf. He has become a high priest forever, in the order of Melchizedek.

The Holy Spirit guides us and the Holy Spirit guides people to us.
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In the name of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit, Amen.