Banshee is a journal and small independent press from Ireland (est. 2014) championing new literary writing that is fresh, exciting and accessible. Banshee publishes fiction, creative non-fiction and poetry, and the team consists of four published authors: Eimear Ryan, Laura Cassidy, Jessica Traynor and John Patrick McHugh. Work published by Banshee has been awarded and shortlisted for multiple prizes, including the An Post Irish Book Awards Short Story of the Year and the Edge Hill Prize. Banshee Press is known for its rigorous yet thoughtful editorial process, high standards of author care and excellent talent-spotting abilities. Banshee journal was the first to publish creative work by Sinéad Gleeson, Nidhi Zak/Aria Eipe and Lucy Sweeney Byrne, among others. In 2021, the Banshee Press co-founders were named as Bookseller Rising Stars and in 2020 and 2023 the press was shortlisted as a country finalist for Small Press of the Year in the British Book Awards.
In September 2022, Banshee published Pacemaker, the bestselling reflective hybrid memoir from Waterford-born, Norway-based poet David Toms. Described by Sara Baume in the Irish Times as “a terrifically important book” it reached the top twenty hardback non-fiction chart in Ireland. In 2023 Banshee will publish Let the Dead, the beautiful and haunting second poetry collection from award-winning poet Dylan Brennan and Penelope Unbound, a speculative historical novel which reimagines the life of Norah Barnacle, wife of James Joyce, from acclaimed writer Mary Morrissy.
Banshee Press is dedicated to supporting its authors’ careers, renewing interest in its titles through the release of new editions and updated covers, and creating opportunities for its authors beyond the initial publication period. As the press publishes only a select number of titles a year, it is able to sustain this approach. Paris Syndrome, the debut short story collection by Lucy Sweeney Byrne (2019) continues to prove a popular title for the press. Gold Light Shining by Bebe Ashley (2020), a pop-culture inspired debut poetry collection, was chosen for distribution on public transport during Culture Night 2022 as part of the Arts Council of Ireland’s Read Mór campaign.
Banshee Press is supported by the Arts Council of Ireland through their Arts Grant Funding programme and the press also receives funding from Cork City Council.