Author & Storyteller

Marianne McShane was born and raised in County Down on the north east coast of Ireland. She grew up in the seaside town of Bangor, listening to her Granda tell tales around the hearth on many an evening. Stories and legends filled her imagination. 

Marianne’s debut book, Rónán and the Mermaid, inspired by a legend from her home town of Bangor, came out in May 2020 from Candlewick Press. Her next book, the story of a young Irish girl who must save her father from fairy spells, will be published by Candlewick in Spring 2022.

A member of Storytellers of Ireland, Marianne has been a featured storyteller at festivals and concerts in Ireland and the United States and has twice won the gold medal in storytelling at the Mid Atlantic Fleadh Cheoil. Her telling of Irish legends and wonder tales captivates audiences of all ages. 

After many years in America, where she shared stories every day in her work as a children's librarian, Marianne has returned home to Bangor on the shores of Belfast Lough. Her walks by the sea continue to inspire her.