Banshees
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When we listen to Irish legends, we often hear about leprechauns. However, leprechauns are only one of many spirits of Ireland.
One, much more frightening and morbid, but arguably more interesting creature of legend is the banshee.
These ghost-women appeared in many Irish folktales and are as much an element of Ireland’s history as their tiny green-clad counterparts.
The following should teach you the basics of what you need to know about banshees.
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What Is a Banshee?
A banshee, or Bean Sidhe, is a fairy from Irish folklore whose scream was an omen of death.
Her thin scream is referred to as “caoine,” which translates to “keening.”
It is said that a banshee’s cry predicts the death of a member of one of Ireland’s five major families: the O’Grady’s, the O’Neills, the O’Briens, the O’Connors or the Kavanaghs.
Over time as families blended, it was said that most Irish families had their own banshee.
It is also said that the banshees followed their families as they emigrated from Ireland to other places across the globe, though some stayed behind to grieve at the original family estate.
Various versions of the banshee have been described, from a woman with long, red hair and very pale skin to an older woman with stringy, grey hair, rotten teeth and fiery red eyes.
She is often depicted with a comb in her hair and this has led to an Irish superstition that finding a comb on the ground is considered bad luck.
It is believed that a single banshee can take on any of these forms and shift between them, much like the goddesses of Celtic folklore. Other forms of the banshee include the Bean Nighe and the washer woman, both more attributed to Scotland than Ireland.
The Bean Nighe is said to be the ghost of a woman who died during childbirth and would be seen wearing the clothes of the person about to die while the washer woman is dressed like a countrywoman and is cleaning bloody rags on a river shore.
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Origins of Banshees
It is unknown precisely when stories of the banshee first were told, but they can be traced back as far as the early eighth century.
It is believed they were based on an old Irish tradition where women would sing a lament to signify one’s passing.
This too was referred to as keening.
As many keeners accepted alcohol as payment, which the church frowned upon, many have speculated it was these keeners who were punished in the eyes of God and were forced to become banshees.
Another factor that likely contributed to the superstitious legend is the cry of the barn owl.
In ancient battles, owls would screech and take flight if they noticed an army approaching, which would forewarn the defending army.
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History And Mythology of Banshees
There have been several reported banshee sightings, but it is said that if a banshee becomes aware of a human’s presence watching her, she will disappear into a cloud of mist.
When she does, it is accompanied by a fluttering sound like a bird flapping its wings.
The Irish do not believe the banshee causes death, but merely warns of it.
Although during the Middle Ages it was said that the banshee would also protect the souls of those of good heart and deed after they had passed on.
The Bean Sidhe is also said to have a sister – the Lianhan Sidhe – who would win the love of mortal men and use it to destroy them.
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Method of removal.
A Bean-sidhe appears for a very limited time, usually only a few minutes.
If you tried to make her remove herself, she would likely do so on her own before you'd finished whatever method you were trying.
Consequently, there really isn't anything to do except wait her out.
Never attempt to touch or catch a Bean-sidhe.
Although they do not mean us harm when they appear, they are very powerful and have been known to curse those who try to capture them.
In the lore, such curses are invariably fatal, and often pass on to future generations, as in the famous case of Thomas Reilly: after attempting to catch a Bean-sidhe, Reilly died within a week, his family farm failed, and his descendants suffered from insanity until his line died out.
If you leave it alone, a Bean-sidhe will keen for a short while and then leave.
Their keening can be frightening, but it is better to have a little scare than lose your life...or worse.
XXX
Source - Emily Carlin
Image - Browsing Fan Art on DeviantArt