Morgan Llywelyn

Morgan Llywelyn is an American-born Irish author best known for her historical novels. She writes in the genres of historical fantasy, fiction, and non-fiction. Her works have received several awards and sold over 40 million copies.

Morgan Llywelyn was born in New York City but moved to Ireland permanently after the deaths of her husband and parents in 1985, adopting citizenship in her ancestral homeland.

Initially, Llywelyn pursued a career in dressage, even making the shortlist for the United States Olympic Team in 1975. When she didn't make the team, her path shifted to writing. Her most acclaimed work, Lion of Ireland — The Legend of Brian Boru (1980), became a bestseller, with millions of copies sold. The publication of this book marked the beginning of her prolific career as a writer exploring her Celtic roots.

Her writing has earned her numerous awards. Llywelyn won the Novel of the Year Award from the National League of American Penwomen for The Horse Goddess (1982) and the Woman of the Year Award from the Irish-American Heritage Committee for Bard: The Odyssey of the Irish (1984), presented by then-mayor Ed Koch of New York City. Celtic Women International also named her Exceptional Celtic Woman of the Year in 1999.

Llywelyn began writing for younger readers in 1990 with Brian Boru, Emperor of the Irish, a biographical novel published by The O'Brien Press, Dublin. This book earned her an Irish Children's Book Trust Bisto Award in 1991. Her subsequent works for young readers include Strongbow, The Story of Richard and Aoife, which won a Bisto Award in the Historical Fiction category, the Reading Association of Ireland Award in 1993, and Star Dancer (1995).

Llywelyn has also authored A Pocket History of Irish Rebels and The Vikings in Ireland. Her latest children's book, Pirate Queen, tells the story of Grace O'Malley through letters to her son.

As she often says, "History is a time machine. With a historical novel, we can open a door into the past any time we want and join the heroes and villains there."

Photo credit: The O'Brien Press