GRACE O'yN ALLEY.
{"newspaper_name": "The Wilmingtonian, and Delaware advertiser.", "edition": "01", "page": "p1", "byline": "AN IRISH TRADITIONAL STORY."}
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The following account of the circumstan~
ces which gave rise to the strange custom OF
throwing open the gates of Howth castle, at
the first toll of the dinner bell, has been col
lected in two places, at opposite extremities
of Ireland; tradition supplying in the one,
what it had left wanting in the other: A.
bout the middle of the sixth century, Grana
Waillia, or Grace O'Maley, exercised the
same power over the 365 islands of Clew
Bay, which her ancestors had, at an earlier
period, over all Ireland. She possessed a
manly mind, and spirit well adapted for the
wild scene in which she lived, and the rude
men whom she governed-had caused much
bloodshctl, and done many fearful deed ON
sea and land; but "none are all evil,o and
she also possessed an excess Of high and gem
erous feeling, which seldom fails, with pos
teritY at least, to cover q multitude of sins


The ruins of her castle may yet be seen-a
huge mass of gray stone, looking tow ards the
main land, from the tlesoate island of ST.
Clare, which is at the extremity of the clus.
ter, and apparently formed forn 10 other pur-
pose than t. break the force of the Atlantic
as it rolls into Clew Bay. There was scarce.
ly a town or village along the western coast,
which had not been at one time or other, Wis.
tied and plundered in the course of her pi-
ratical excur sions, and as the evil was Sc,
verely felt so was the outciy proportionablv
great. Still there was no chance of redress.
except from direct appeal from the sove-
reign, as she was ali-pow werful at sea, an,,
lived on the best terms of intelligence with
Richard Bourke, Fisconnt ard Governor g.