Major flaw of "The Pirate Queen"

My very-Irish English professor pointed out something extremely interesting.

In that time period, a woman would never have the name "O'Malley". They were not allowed to be referred to by their last names at all and were referred to by first and middle and Gaelic names. It was so interesting to hear her talk about it.

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First off, there's no doubting that her last name was O'Malley. That said, I don't remember a point in the musical when someone referred to her as O'Malley. In fact, except for saying "Clan O'Malley" I don't even recall people addressing Dubdhara as O'Malley. They usually refer to her as Grania or in some cases, Grace, which I assume is "correct" by your Professor's standards. So, according to your Professor, they shouldn't refer to her as O'Malley. Well, they don't--at least to my recollection, and thus, it's not really a "flaw." Even if they did, as evident by D2's sarcasm, it really wouldn't matter much.

With that, though the story is historically based, a lot of it is fiction. I haven't read the novel so someone can confirm this for me or correct me, but I believe that Tigernan was meant more to be a "conglomeration" of Grania's lovers. Plus, the musical didn't even use the correct name "Tigernan"--but rather, Tiernan. And with that scene where Grania defeats an English fleet after giving birth to a child, I don't think they're exactly going for historical or significant accuracy, since, well, that'd be pretty darn incredible if it did happen.

msis, you're partially correct. I don't have the novel "The Pirate Queen" but I have another novel by an author who went to Europe and wrote about all her research about various European legends of female sailors and warriors. According to her (and please mind my memory.. ) Grace married about 2 or 3 times and even fell in love with a young sailor who was killed by her enemies and she did raise hell about it. To my memory "Tiernan" never, ever existed. Her first two husbands were killed and I believe she died a widower.
But, the scene where she defeated a ship after giving birth to a child did happen. She gave birth and then the following day her ship was attacked and she got up and faught them off despite her weakness. (but I have heard rumors they removed that scene??) She was one hell of a woman known across the nation for her drinking, cursing, and her free sexual habits...She even slept with a rope attached to her favorite ship in her fleet attached to the post of her bed, just in case it decided to sail off somewhere :-P

msls777: And you call me sarcastic?

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Updated On: 3/3/07 at 04:22 PM

So now if it fails, at least we will know the true reason.

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ohemgee. close the show!

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Okay, I don't mean I can't enjoy it, I mean in the writing of it. I just found it interesting. Yeesh.

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I don't think people would have been so critical if you hadn't called it a "Major flaw."

I'm English, you guys will NEVER out-sarcasm me!

And indeed, the only reason I felt the need to tease so was because I was amused by the phrasing "major flaw". If it had been "interesting factoid", I would have been much kinder. :3

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In the actual history of it, did they dance like that?


p.s. How about in the novel?

A quick search on google shows her irish name to be Gráinne Ní Mháille, and one source says she "wouldn't have cared for" the polite English translation of Grace O'Malley.

Meaningful to the Irish, not so much to the rest of us. So perhaps rather than being a major flaw, it's simply a way of allowing us non-irish speakers a way of pronouncing her name. After all, historically the English tried their best to squelch out the native Irish language, and almost succeeded.

Um, vmlinnie, do you think you could translate that from Gaelic to English?

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Just be thankful this isn't an Iclandic musical or we would all be in a lot of trouble with the dottirs and ssons....

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