Pirates

Barred from the seafaring life, women had to disguise themselves as men if they wanted to experience the high seas - and brave the consequences of being found out

We have all heard the saying ‘clothes maketh the man’. Perhaps it’s doubly true for women – especially those women who disguised themselves in order to run away to sea.

Throughout history, there have been dramatic tales of women sailing the oceans. Many of these stories begin from the Golden Age of Piracy (1650 to 1720), but there are accounts of female pirates dating back thousands of years. In this article, we'll explore the lives of some of the notable pirates prowling our oceans.

Tales of mermaids date back to the first written accounts of humanity, but how much do we know about the mythical sea creatures?

Every year we celebrate International Talk Like a Pirate Day. But did pirates really say and do the things we think they did?

Blackbeard is one of the most infamous pirates who ever lived. But can we separate the facts from the myth?

Uncover the life and career of Ireland's trailblazing seafarer – and learn about her meeting with Queen Elizabeth I at Greenwich Palace

The Caird Library has a new display featuring archive and library items connected with crimes and criminals at sea.

Curator of Naval History James Davey shares examples of real pirates who were far more characterful than those of fiction. 

Curator of Art, Melanie Vandenbrouck looks at playful portrayals of pirates in our collection.