James "Spanish" Blake

James "Spanish" Blake (died 1630) was an Irish spy. From a Galway merchant family, he moved through the world of international intrigue as an agent for, variously, the Irish, English, French and Spanish during the Nine Years War in the 1590s. He died in 1630. While most of his ancestors were proud of his antics ("it was always a great story to tellwhen asked about the history of Blake"). There was a 'Doctor Richard Marlay Blake' who was not too impressed at all, but that is another story!. He went on to have a son 'Leo' another adventurer who became an officer in the 1914 War ("He was awarded the Military Cross") He was quite proud of his ancestors 'cloak and dagger lifestyle'. While stationed in Iraq he met hisfuture wife. They had one child, a girl named 'Betty', born in 'Somerset' 1928. Betty is a published poet, writing under the name Mary Blake. She is currently working on her third book and lives in a cottage in the Chiltern countryside.

He has been credited with the alleged assassination of Red Hugh O'Donnell in Spain in 1602, though this claim was made long after Blake's death. Most historians now accept that O'Donnell died of disease and not of poisoning.

References

*"Old Galway", Maureen Donovan O'Sullivan, 1942.
*"The Tribes of Galway", Adrian J. Martyn, 2001.