The Banshee

The bean-sidhe may be an ancestral spirit appointed to forewarn members of certain ancient Irish families of their time of death. According to tradition, the banshee can only cry for five major Irish families: the O’Neills, the O’Briens, the O’Connors, the O’Gradys and the Kavanaghs. Intermarriage has extended this list over time and generations.

The banshee chiefly appears in one of three guises: a young woman, a stately matron or a raddled old hag. These represent the triple aspects of the Celtic goddess of war and death, namely Badhbh, Macha and Mor-Rioghain.  She usually wears either a grey, hooded cloak or the winding sheet or grave robe of the unshriven dead. She may also appear as a washer-woman, and is seen apparently washing the blood stained clothes of those who are about to die. In this guise she is known as the bean-nighe (washing woman).

The Legends of the Irish Banshee

The ghost is a young woman who was brutally killed and died so horribly that her spirit is left to wander the world watching her family and loved ones warning them when a violent death is imminent.

The old woman in rags with dirty grey hair, long fingernails and sharp pointed rotten teeth. Her eyes are blood red and filled with so much hatred and sorrow that to look into them will cause instant death. The Banshees mouth is permanently open as she emits a long and painful scream to torture the souls of the living.

According to legend there are a few Banshees that relish in taking a life and will stalk their victim wailing and screaming at them to the point that the victim goes insane or dies. In Ireland the Banshee does attach herself to families usually with an O or a Mc in the surname such as O’Brien or McNeill etc, and she does indeed foretell a death in the family. The Banshee does not ‘bring’ death but warns that death is near and this gives the family a chance to prepare for someone’s passing. It is not necessarily a violent death. She is there as an escort to ensure that the loved one passes safely to the other side.

The Banshee may sometimes only be heard keening (an Irish word used to describe the wailing that women used to do over the body of a deceased person to ward off evil spirits) but when the Banshee decides to appear she may take the form of the following:

• An old woman dressed in black with long grey hair and covering her face with a veil.
• An old woman with long white hair, red eyes and dressed in a green dress.
• A deathly pale woman with long red hair dressed in a white dress sometimes a shroud.
• A beautiful woman wearing a shroud.
• A beautiful woman with silver-white hair wearing a long shimmering silver dress.
• A headless woman naked from the waist up and carrying a bowl of blood.

Of course no-one wishes a visit from a Banshee no matter how alluring she is but she does serve a purpose to the family by letting them know that they should start making preparations for a traditional funeral.

Erin go Bragh!

Graylin