The Cyhyraeth
In Welsh folklore, a groaning moan that rises at night, along the river or the shore, is a voice warning that someone will soon die.
What was reported
The cyhyraeth is a spirit of Welsh folklore, heard more than seen: a long, dreadful moan or wail, getting louder and then fading, said to pass a house before a death there. It was told about especially in the south and west of Wales, along rivers and the coast.
Some said it came with a light moving over the water, and that before shipwrecks it could be heard on the shore. Unlike the Irish banshee, it rarely showed itself.
Explanations offered
Like other omens of death, it's a folk belief that can't be tested. Wind, owls and the sounds of the sea are the usual suggestions. It's sometimes linked to the Welsh hag Gwrach y Rhibyn.
- When
- Told for centuries
- Where
- Carmarthenshire, Wales
- Witnesses
- Welsh folklore
- 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.
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