Studied painting and metal work at the National College of Art, Dublin.  Taught art in Dublin and Africa.  In Nairobi worked on theatrical set painting and designing.    Back in Ireland in the mid 1980s she started painting in watercolours.  Since then she has continually exhibited in West Cork and has been extremely favourably received in her eight solo exhibitions at the Frank Lewis Gallery.  Shadow in light and the creation of mood and mystery are particular features of Derry Shannon's paintings. A painting by Derry Shannon was chosen by Alice Taylor for the cover of her book 'Country Days'.