Finding Grace's DNA

Grace O'Malley, Ireland's Pirate Queen, is one of the most important figures in Irish history. She was an accomplished mariner, a shrewd politician, a successful businesswoman, a ruthless plunderer, a mercenary, a rebel, the protective matriarch of her tribe and above all else, a woman who refused to allow the barriers placed in her path to deter her. The O'Malley Clan Association is seeking out the limited number of O'Malleys with documented descent from Grace's O'Malley family and testing their DNA to identify this extraordinary woman's unique genetic signature. We've identified one group whose DNA signature dates back to the year 1650, but to get back to Grace's father, Owen Dubhdara O'Malley (who died in 1575), we need to test more people. Detailed DNA analysis costs several hundred dollars for each person. Some can afford to pay for their own DNA test, but many cannot. So we are appealing for help from interested O'Malleys to help us finally reveal this crucial part of our genetic heritage. Then, O'Malleys everywhere can check their DNA to find out if they are related to the famous Grace O'Malley.

One of the many historical documents we've been consulting

Click the links to learn more about the O'Malley Clan Association or the Finding Grace project. #FindingGracesDNA

As an added incentive, we'll throw in a year's membership of the O'Malley Clan Association for all donations over €25.