Finally some trivia about the game.......
One of the most famous Irishwomen of the time was born Grainne O Maille, but became famous as Grace O'Malley, the Irish pirate queen. "Tough as her men, she cut her hair short, wore scruffy clothes, handled a cutlass and pistols with ease, and played cards like a fiend," -- which apparently didn't doom the Irish outlaw to a lonely life. In fact, this twice-married mother, who managed both her father's and husbands' fleets, often carried out raids with her own toddlers on board ship!
Born in 1530, she went on a ship with her father as a young girl to Spain and accquired some trick taking card games with which she used to play against the sailors. I imagine her Catholic to boot, but have no proof of that- but she was educated and could speak in various languages- Latin been one that helped her conversations with Elizabeth the 1st. Irish nobility- probably spoke French as well.
~Rosanne