Emer McLysaght (born 1980) is an Irish journalist, author, and columnist known for co‑creating the Aisling series of novels with Sarah Breen.
Early life and education
McLysaght was born in 1980 and raised in Kill, County Kildare, Ireland. After completing secondary school she briefly studied biology at Trinity College Dublin before switching to a Higher National Diploma in media studies at Ballyfermot College of Further Education, where she met future co‑author Sarah Breen. She later earned a Bachelor of Arts with first‑class honours in media production from Dublin City University and completed a master’s degree in international relations, also graduating with first‑class honours.
Journalism career
McLysaght began her media work as a newsreader and reporter at Kfm radio station in 2004. She moved briefly to Newstalk radio in 2006 before joining Phantom 105.2 later that year, serving as news editor for four years. Her freelance contributions have appeared in the Business Post, Leinster Leader, Radio Nova, and Today FM. In 2011 she joined TheJournal.ie, was promoted to deputy editor of TheDailyEdge.ie in 2013, and became its editor in 2017. That March she left editorial duties to focus on writing full‑time. She is a regular columnist for The Irish Times.
Literary work
Together with Sarah Breen, McLysaght developed the fictional character “Aisling,” which originated as a Facebook fan group that grew to over 45,000 members. The popularity of the character led to a publishing deal, and they authored a series of comedic novels centred on Aisling. As of 2021 the series comprises four books published by Gill Books and Penguin Books, with sales exceeding 300 000 copies. Notable titles include:
- Oh My God, What a Complete Aisling (2017)
- The Importance of Being Aisling (2018)
- Once, Twice, Three Times an Aisling (2019)
- Aisling and the City (2021)
Future installments announced include Aisling Ever After (2024) and Our Deadly Summer (2026).
Awards and recognition
The Aisling novels have been honoured at the Irish Book Awards, winning Popular Fiction Book of the Year in 2018 (The Importance of Being Aisling), 2019 (Once, Twice, Three Times an Aisling), and 2021 (Aisling and the City).
Personal advocacy
McLysaght has spoken publicly about mental health issues, including her own experiences with an eating disorder during adolescence. She discussed treatment at St Patrick’s University Hospital on The Ryan Tubridy Show in early 2020.
References
- Wikipedia contributors. “Emer McLysaght.” Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. Retrieved from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Emer_McLysaght (accessed 2024).