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John Murray wins 'spellbinding' anthology of Irish fiction in three-way auction
John Murray has acquired UK and Commonwealth rights in all formats including audio for Banshee: Mythological Irish Women Retold, edited by Ailbhe Malone.
Christina Demosthenous, former publisher at Renegade Books, won rights at auction from Juliet Pickering at Blake Friedmann, for publication on 26th February 2026. The cover has been designed by Aoife Cawley, an artist from Kildare whose work explores folklore and mythology.
The anthology will feature Irish myths retold by Jane Casey, Naoise Dolan, Salma El-Wardany, Wendy Erskine, Nikita Gill, Anne Griffin, Sarah Maria Griffin, Jess Kidd, Megan Nolan and Sheila O’Flanagan. “This is a celebration of womanhood – and an homage to the ancient stories that still shape us,” the publisher says.
“Transporting you to treacherous landscapes and salt-crashing seas, generational curses and mystical islands, in Banshee you’ll find unruly mothers, rule-breaking queens, defiant mermaids and women outrunning their destiny – stories pulsing with desire, danger and defiance."
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Abigail Scruby, editor, will be publishing Banshee at John Murray after Christina Demosthenous’s departure. Scruby said: “From the early days of the seanchaí to today, myth and legend has been an inseparable part of Irish culture. The stories in Banshee, by some of our finest contemporary writers, are witty, dark and exhilarating, revealing the richness of Irish mythology while also giving the heroines their long-awaited dues.”
Ailbhe Malone, senior editor at the Strategist (New York Magazine), said: “An anthology felt like the only way to do this project justice. I was blown away by the response from authors who wanted to participate, and the end result is thrilling, fresh and compulsively readable. I’m beyond thrilled to be working with JMP and February 2026 cannot come soon enough.”
Pickering added: “It was clear that the omission of Irish stories was a huge gap in our mythology publishing, and when Ailbhe suggested the idea for this anthology it was irresistible. We have an incredible line up of authors and their retellings are wonderfully surprising, compelling and long overdue. We’re proud to bring these women back into the limelight and celebrate their legacies.”
