Royals

 I may not be able to figure out how I'm related to the pirate queen, but I, Erin O'Malley, daughter of Charles Gerald O'Malley, have royal blood coursing through my veins.  Mary Queen of Scots is my 14th great aunt, and “Princess Di” (Diana Spencer) is my 9th cousin!  Hey-That means I'm related to the future king of England.  You can’t get more royal than that!  English royalty seems to hold a particular fascination with the entire world.   Maybe I could handle all the royal accouterments-the titles, the lands, the castles, estates, the luxury, the pampering, the royal treatment, and the important duties. Maybe I couldn’t. Regardless, for one brief moment, I get to pretend at the oldest castle (1228)-Ashford Castle. I could stay there if I wanted to pay 500+ dollars a night, but I’m opting for an air-bnb in Westport for $50 a night-more in line with my peasantry income. Perhaps I will splurge, being royal and all, for a massage in their ultra-lux spa.

 I’m at least going to stroll the grounds of this beautiful estate-maybe wearing my blue cape-or would that be too over the top? Perhaps that would make me feel more like my ancestor, Mary Queen of Scots as depicted in the historical romantic drama television series “Reign.”   The series features Ashford Castle with many scenes shot at this historic location.  I was excited to learn ten years ago when planning my trip that this castle was within driving distance from County Mayo. That went right on my itinerary!

Since then, I’ve learned about Ashford’s castle connection to Lord Richard Bingham, arch-nemesis of Grace O’Malley. In 1589, it fell to his hands after a battle To add insult to injury,  the original builders of the castle, the Anglo-Norman De Burgo family, were probably related to Grace O’Malley through her husband Richard Bourke. I would prefer to live there than in her dinky tower castle at Rockfleet!

I feel a little traitorous going to Ashford, being an O’Malley, but I’m probably related to Richard Bingham somewhere along the line.  I am English. I speak English. I am grateful for the English language I can both read and write, unlike most of my peasant ancestors in Ireland. I’m happy to visit a country where I speak the native language and have a better chance of understanding the people and navigating their countryside.   Had the 9-year war and the Battle of Kinsale ended differently, English might not be Ireland’s principal language

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Spain allied with the Irish against the English (January 3,1602) but landed in the wrong place, Kinsale, forcing the Gaelic leaders, Hugh O’Neil, and Red Hugh O’Donnell, to march with their men from their strongholds in Ulster through the depths of winter to relieve them.  Defeated Hugh O’Donnell retreated to Spain and landed at A Coruña. He sought additional assistance but died on the way to see the king in Valladolid.  Wait!  Come again?  Vallodolid!  That was the first area I went to as a missionary in Spain. It was a hot and arid landscape in August when I arrived.  It was the opposite of green and verdant like my later missionary area, La Coruña, Galicia.  My Spanish was horrible, and I didn’t understand what anyone around me was saying. I was miserable, but not as miserable as Red Hugh.  Here are his bones resting in Vallodolid.

So much strife! English vs. Irish. Catholic vs. Protestant. Pagan vs. Christianity. So many invaders! The Vikings, Normans, Scottish, Tudors, English, Dutch, and French.   Ireland, like the Ashford Castle, has switched hands so many times that it’s hard to understand whose land is it really?  What's the answer?  I'll claim it.  At least I am for one full week.