Spirit of Grace O’Malley alive at Rockfleet Castle

AS Ireland heralded the arrival of Samhain, Rockfleet Castle (or Carraigahowley Castle as it is also known) was ignited in its own vibrant glow that may have puzzled some of the local residents around Newport.

Lit up in bright green and emblazoned with the Grace O’Malley Irish Pirate Queen crest on one side and #BelieveInGrace on another, the illumination can now be revealed as the work of Grace O’Malley Premium Irish Spirits, creators of Grace O’Malley Irish Whiskey and Heather Infused Gin, dedicated to the legendary Irish pirate queen, Granuaile, born in Mayo in 1530.

As Samhain is a time when the door between this world and the next is believed to become more fluid and spirits flow freely from the afterlife to earth, this transitional time from light to dark is one of remembrance of the departed and also a time for mischief and surprises. How better to celebrate the life of the legendary Irish Pirate Queen than to light up the iconic tower synonymous with her name and her army of men, the mooring place for her galleys and the place where she passed in 1603.

Grace O’Malley Spirits are as much about premium Irish spirits as they are about keeping the legend of Granuaile alive, to ensure her great rebellious heart is never forgotten. The hashtag #BelieveInGrace was created to remember Grace and celebrate the formidable woman she was, who although omitted from the official history books of Ireland, has lived on through folklore, poetry, song, and now spirits, that tell the great stories from her lifetime.

Grace O’Malley Spirits are as passionate in keeping the legend alive as they are about premium Irish whiskey and gin, and in ensuring these stories travel far and wide to an international audience.

Keep Her Lit at Rockfleet Castle for #BelieveInGrace is the latest in a series of activity from the brand that has Co. Mayo at its heart and Grace O’Malley’s stories in its expression. While marking the arrival of Samhain, Grace O’Malley Spirits have a host of activity planned for the ‘birth month’ of Grace O’Malley, with 30 days of Grace throughout November.

The event this week was marked with a special whiskey celebration in the Grainne Uaile pub in Newport where some of the regulars joined in a toast to their legendary local.

Next week, the birthday celebrations continue with The Homecoming in Dublin, where mixologists from Ireland and around the world will celebrate the spirit of adventure with new cocktail creations in Grace O’Malley’s name. The Homecoming, at the Rag Trader Bar on Drury Street in the city’s creative quarter, is not only a nod to Grace the trader, the shrewd businesswoman with a strong network of connections from the most northerly coasts of Scotland, throughout Ireland, France, Spain and Portugal, but also to the famous song that honours her - Óró, Sé do Bheatha Bhaile – Horo, welcome home.

Following hot on the heels of their sponsorship of Westival, the brand continues its support of local pro-sailor Joan Mulloy, a descendant of Grace O’Malley, who has just left shore to compete in the Transat Jacques Vabre race from Le Havre to Salvador de Bahia in Brazil. Joan and her sailing partner, Alexia Barrier, will race aboard the boat 4myplanet and are the only all-female duo in the challenge currently underway where a total of sixty boats are competing.

Earlier this year, Joan retraced the route of her ancestor from Mayo to London in her own boat, #BelieveInGrace, sailing along the River Thames to Tower Bridge, the same journey that saw the Irish Pirate Sea Queen come face to face with the Virgin Queen in their historic meeting at Greenwich in late summer of 1593.

In keeping with the re-enactment, Joan brought a special presentation bottle of Grace O’Malley Irish Whiskey on board to commemorate the famous meeting.

Celebrating female leadership through rebellious spirit, Grace O’Malley Premium Irish Spirits believe in its namesake as not just one of Ireland’s but the world’s most inspirational and extraordinary female trailblazers. The brand will be keeping the spirit and stories of Grace O’Malley alive through ongoing celebrations and activity at home in County Mayo, across Ireland and abroad.

For those who missed Keep Her Lit at Rockfleet Castle, there will be a bird’s eye view of the event in a video landing soon on the Grace O’Malley Spirits own social channels.

Follow the journey where Mayo gives the green light to the celebrations throughout November on www.graceomalleywhiskey.com and on social @graceomalleyspirits.