Eilis Ni Dhuibhne was born in Dublin. She was educated at University College Dublin and has a BA in English and a PhD in Irish Folklore. She worked for many years as a librarian and archivist in the National Library of Ireland and now teaches on the MA for Creative Writing at University College Dublin and for the Faber Writing Academy. She is a member of Aosdana. The author of more than twenty books, including five collections of short stories, several novels, children's books, plays and many scholarly articlesand literary reviews, her work includes The Dancers Dancing, Fox Swallow Scarecrow, and The Shelter of Neighbours .