A Girl's Writing Is Never Done (c) Shauna Gilligan 2025
Margo and I are delighted to be invited to sign copies of Mantles: Encountering Brigid (Arlen House) at 2pm this Saturday 11th December in The Maynooth Bookshop.
We would love if you joined us!
Note: Copies of Mantles are also available in all Kildare and Roscommon libraries to borrow – just check with your librarian for stock.
I’m delighted to announce that Mantles: Encountering Brigid (Arlen House: 2021, Dublin) is published! It is currently exclusively stocked by Maynooth Bookshop (shortlisted for Irish bookshop of the year in the Irish Book Awards, winner of the Leinster category) – buy it here.
Margo and I are delighted with the critical praise so far:
“….thoughtful, evocative…the book is a rich meditation on folklore, tradition and contemporary experience.” Lia Mills, author of Another Alice
“This book will inspire many others to search out and walk in Brigit’s footsteps.” Mary Condren, ThD. author of The Serpent and the Goddess, and National Director, Woman Spirit Ireland.
“The interweaving of artworks by Margo McNulty with the writings of Shauna Gilligan can only be compared with the overlapping plaited strands of Brigit the Goddess and Brigid the Saint.” Clodagh Doyle, Keeper, Irish Folklife Division, National Museum of Ireland, Country Life, Mayo.
We were delighted to partake in Samhain @ Sult in Kildare Town on Wednesday 24th November, the first public reading from Mantles. It was wonderful to read surrounded by such inspiring artwork by Sult Collective and to be accompanied by live music from James Blennerhassett. We hope to mark the publication with another event soon!
This publication forms the final part of the Creative Ireland funded collaboration between myself and artist Margo McNulty.
We are grateful to Alan Hayes at Arlen House, our publishers, and Kildare County Council and Roscommon County Council, our funders.
I have been immersed in fiction and writing but for the next few weeks I am turning my attention to reading about the lives of others in a fab non-fiction selection – I’m almost finished with Solnit’s brilliant memoir.
I will also start into a wonderful collaborative research project with a trip to the archives of the National Library of Ireland. But more on this project later….
Happy Reading to you all!
Shauna Gilligan Writer 