She joined BBC Northern Ireland in 1969 and was the broadcaster's first Catholic female newsreader and announcer.[2] She went on to become a reporter for BBC programmes such as Spotlight, Newsnight, Panorama and File on 4. She has also produced and directed television documentaries for ITV and Channel 4 and written and presented programmes on BBC Radio 3 and 4.[3]
McAuley's first two novels, Singing Bird and Meeting Point, were sold at auction to Headline (world rights) who published in 2004 and 2005. The US rights sold to HarperCollins, Dutch rights to House of Books and the German rights to Droemer. The rights to Roisin McAuley's next two books, "Finding Home" and "French Secrets" were sold to Time Warner Books UK in 2005.[4]