Description

An Irish storyteller revisits the little-known legend of the Mermaid Saint in a haunting, beautifully illustrated tale of kindness, music and longing.

Long ago, on the eastern coast of Ireland, a monk from the Abbey of Bangor was collecting driftwood along the shore when he found a boy washed up amid a circle of seals. At first the boy could barely move or speak. But when he regained his strength, he recalled being brought ashore by a lady with long golden hair who sang him to safety and gave him a silver ring. The monks knew the legend of a mermaid who had wandered the coast for three hundred years. Could it possibly have been her?

Inspired by a story told in medieval chronicles of Irish history, debut author Marianne McShane weaves a captivating tale, while Jordi Solano captures the legend’s spare but welcoming abbey on the rocky shore – setting that makes you believe that if you listen hard enough, you too can hear the mermaid’s song.

Publisher Review

With the lyrical style of an expert storyteller, a picture is painted of long ago Ireland, its' legends, its' magic and its' wonder. The graceful language itself weaves a spell full of atmosphere, whisking the reader back in time. The gorgeous illustrations gracing the pages of this picture book give exacting imagery and a genuine sense of time and place, rich in detail, symbolism and a feel of the old; the magical. Evocative, exquisite and beautiful; this one truly brings the legend home. Simply wonderful. * Fallen Star Stories Blog * Marianne read an extract and was interviewed on the BBC radio show Your Place and Mine. * Your Place and Mine * A contemporary Irish seanchai, or storyteller, uses a bit of historical text from 558 C.E.-the Annals of the Four Masters-to fashion a story about a wondrous creature from the sea. [...] With this ode to music and mermaids, McShane deftly uses old stories to create a lyrical, satisfying new one. * Kirkus review * Featured in an interview with Marianne McShane in The Irish Echo. * The Irish Echo * Featured in a piece by Marianne McShane in Books Ireland Magazine. * Books Ireland *