The Banshee
In Irish tradition, a woman's keening cry in the night warns of a death in one of the old families.
What was reported
The bean sí, or banshee, 'woman of the fairy mound', is a female spirit of Irish folklore. She is heard more than seen: a wailing, keening cry at night, said to warn that a member of one of the old Irish families is about to die.
When she is seen, she's described as a young woman or an old one, often combing long hair, and in some areas washing clothes in a stream.
Explanations offered
Folklorists link the banshee to keening, the lament sung by women at Irish wakes, and to the old belief in spirits of the fairy mounds. The cries people report may sometimes be foxes, owls or other animals at night. She remains one of the best-known figures in Irish folklore.
- When
- Told for centuries
- Where
- Ireland
- Witnesses
- Generations of Irish families
- Status
- Legend
Famous cases are real, widely reported events. Each file sets out what witnesses said and the explanations that have been offered, without taking a side.