One of the most famous (or infamous) spirits of Irish folklore, the Banshee remains a frightening representation of ancient superstition and the dark side of mythical characters. Unlike Leprechauns and fairies, the Banshee apparition was a harbinger of death and bad luck within the Celtic culture, with a diverse myth that defies any concrete version.
Origin of the Banshee
The earliest details of the Banshee's appearance in Celtic culture are believed to be part of pre-Christian spiritual beliefs in the pagan Gaelic culture. The Bean Sidhe, meaning "woman of the fairy mounds" is believed to be part of the mythical spirit world known as Aos Si or "people of the mounds".
The myth evolved into a spirit or fairy believed to foretell death for five leading Irish families, keening or wailing a mourning song for the departed. While the stories behind her presence, appearance, and purpose vary, the tradition of the Banshee as the signal of death remained fixed in Celtic culture, from counties in Ireland to the folklore of Scottish and Welsh shores.
The Apparition's Appearance
While modern perception of the Banshee pictures a floating green menace like the one in Disney's Darby O' Gill and the Little People, historic descriptions of the Banshee's appearance are varied. She appears both as a hideous hag and a beautiful woman, depending upon her purpose in the story. Shape-shifting attributes are attributed to Banshees, allowing them to appear in a variety of forms, both human and animal.
The evolved Banshee myth claims the spirit is a woman who died in childbirth; in some cases, a murdered woman. The cry of the Banshee varies in accounts as well, from a wail to a scream; from the screech of an owl to a low, sorrowful song. Regardless, the wail of the Banshee remains woven with death traditions of mourning songs or prophetic omens.
Banshees Beyond Ireland
The presence of a Banshee-like spirit pervades other parts of Celtic culture, including the Scottish version. Known as the Bean Nighe, the spirit appears as a hideous washerwoman scrubbing the burial clothes or bloody armor of the doomed souls. A Welsh version refers to the spirit as the Hag of the Mists.
All versions of the Bean Sidh spirits, from the Irish faerie to the Scottish washerwoman, weave a colorful tapestry of traditional Celtic myth. The terrible wail of the Banshee's death cry continues to haunt its listeners, through popular Irish folktales and modern ghost stories alike.
Resources:
Lysaght, Patricia. The Banshee: The Irish Death Messenger. Roberts Rinehart Publishing, 1997.
Sarah Briggs - For the last two years, I have designed primitive dolls and folk art sculptures (such as Edwin Drood and the Ghost of Marley) for Cordwood ...
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