Eleanor hails from Keshcarrigan in County Leitrim in the North West of Ireland. She still spends much of her time there.  Eleanor grew up listening to music.

Her mothers family were all very musical and childhood was spent learning songs from her extended family. She was  learning all kinds of ballads and had a substantial Irish traditional repertoire long before it was hip !

Having finished school she moved to Dublin to and worked in FAS, the state recruitment agency,  but continued to be involved in music and drama. Eleanor studied drama with Betty Ann Norton and joined the "Leitrim Wild Roses" Tops of the Town group.  She also sang in various sessions, the most common being the sessions in Ned O'Sheas "Merchant" and it was here that Frank Cooney and Ned O'Shea introduced her to De Danann. That changed everything. Dolores Keane had just left the band.  Eleanor met Frankie Gavin and Alec Finn and two weeks later was touring Wales, Finland and Sweden.  The day job was gone and for the next five years she toured the world with De Danann and recorded two albums with them -  "Jacket of Batteries" and "Half Set in Harlem".

Working with De Danann was a huge life changing step for Eleanor and one she appreciates.

“ I learned so much about music and the music business in the five years. It's a time in my life I have very fond memories of and am eternally grateful for. I am happy also that I have remained friends with the band and have returned from time to time to play various gigs with them and also with Alec Finn and Frankie Gavin as solo artists.”


ALBUMS

•  "Eleanor Shanley" (Warners) produced by Donal Lunny.

•  "Desert Heart" (Warners) produced by Neil McColl (son of Ewan McColl              and Peggy  Seegar).

•  "A Couple More Years" (Pinnorek) with Ronnie Drew.

•  "Eleanor Shanley and Friends" (Celtic Note) produced by Alec Finn and                 featuring Sharon Shannon, Eddi Reader, Dolores Keane, Johnny Duhan,             Dessie O'Halloran and Ray Lynam

•  "Another Days Journey " (Hummingbird) produced by John Dunford

•  "El Amor De Mi Vida " (Daisy Label) produced by Mike Hanrahan

•  "A Place Of My Own " (Own Place Records)


She also guested on

•   Tommy Flemings "Restless Spirit" album.

•   De Dananns "How the West was Won".

•   Dubliners "30 Years a Greying " (The only female singer ever to record             with the Dubliners!)

Eleanor has  been touring with Frankie Lane and Paul Kelly for the past 3 years in Austria, Switzerland, Italy, Denmark and, of course Ireland.

She has toured Germany and Ireland with Ronnie Drew and has
re-united with DeDanann for various gigs in China and the U.S.  She also
gigs with Alec Finn and John Carty most  recently at Kinnity Festival
which included names such as John Martyn, Damien Dempsey, Sharon Shannon,  Mundy and the Saw Doctors.


2005

•  Won John Creedons Radio Show "Most Distinctive Voice Award".

•  Nominated for a Meteor Award (2005).