Banshee

Irish Myths Retold

In this spellbinding anthology, Ireland’s most electrifying female writers breathe new life into ancient Irish myths, reclaiming the stories of women who have too long stood in the shadows.

Editor and journalist Ailbhe Malone was raised on these legends—but the women, always cast as mothers, warriors, or witches, were never given the lead. And so, Banshee was born: not just a retelling, but a radical reclamation.

Banshee transports you to treacherous landscapes and crashing seas, generational curses and mystical islands. Here you’ll find unruly mothers, rule-breaking queens, and women outrunning their destinies—their stories pulsing with desire, danger, and defiance.

With contributions from every corner of Irish literature, Banshee features luminous retellings by Naoise Dolan, Megan Nolan, Jess Kidd, Wendy Erskine, Nikita Gill, Sarah Maria Griffin, Jane Casey, Anne Griffin, Sheila O’Flanagan, and Salma El-Wardany. This is a celebration of womanhood—and an homage to the ancient stories that still shape us.

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Endorsements & Reviews

Praise for Banshee:

"You don't need to be familiar with the original Irish fairy tales to be ensnared by this anthology of their re-jigged versions, though once you race through them, you'll crave to know the backstories of these resilient and strong women." Irish Independent

"A dazzling modern mythology of our oldest stories, richly imagined by the very best of Irish writers." Doireann Ní Ghríofa, author of A Ghost in the Throat

"Dark, lyrical and exhilarating, these stories feel both timeless and urgently modern." Louise O'Neill, author of Idol

"Whether set in an ancient past or the present day, all these brilliantly innovative reimaginings of Irish myths crackle with real magic." Anna Carey, author of This is Not the Jess Show

“A mystical, magical, empowering modern re-imagining of the Irish goddesses, I loved these superb stories.” Patricia Scanlan, author of the City Girls series

"The stories in Banshee are traditional, timeless—and now even more timely." Financial Times

"Bold, beautiful and bleak, these powerful reimaginings of ancient Irish myths and old folktales put women at the centre of stories that focused on male protagonists." Daily Mail (London)

"Ailbhe Malone brings together some excellent female writers and charges them with taking the ancient myths of Celtic Ireland and placing them in a context that shows the original female characters in a different perspective." Buzz Magazine