Patricia Monaghan first traveled to Ireland as a graduate student in the early 1970's, studying Irish poetry and mythology. Since that time, she has returned often, especially to the western countries from which her family emigrated; she holds dual Irish and American citizenship. Patricia has published several books in Ireland including a volume of poetry based in science, Dancing with Chaos (from Salmon Poetry, www.salmonpoetry.com). She recently edited the popular anthology of Irish and Irish-American essayists, Irish Spirit: Pagan, Celtic, Christian, Global (see www.irishspirit.org).

On this side of the water, she is also widely published. She is the author of the definitive encyclopedia of the world's female divinities, The New Book of Goddesses and Heroines (Llewellyn) and forthcoming The Encyclopedia of Celtic myth and Folklore (Facts on File). She has edited two collections of Irish-American literature, Unlacing: Ten Irish-American Women Poets (Fireweed Press) and The Next Parish Over: Irish-American Writing Today (New Rivers Press).

Patricia is a member of the interdisciplinary faculty at DePaul University in Chicago, where she teaches literature and environment. She also lectures widely on goddess mythology and Irish spirituality. Further information is available on her website, www.patriciamonaghan.com.