top of page
Search

Banshee: The keening omen of death

  • Writer: EMB
    EMB
  • Oct 31, 2021
  • 3 min read

Updated: May 2, 2022

It's spoopy season so why not do an article about spoopy creatures. I have done some digging and at random chose to research the elusive yet mysterious banshee. Firstly, the origin of the Banshee dates back as early as the 8th century. There are also origins in North America during the 18th century.

This mythical creature of beauty and horror can be found in the lovely country of Ireland as well as similar beliefs in Gaelic Scotland. According to my research, she can follow ‘certain’ families since there are tales of this spirit abroad. This being said, she apparently has strong ties to these families.


The influences of this myth are said to come from women who would sing mournful songs for their fallen warriors/soldiers.

These women went on to be known as keeners. Keeners are people/women who would wail or sing during the grievance of the dead. Families would pay for them to come to a family member's funeral and they would be paid in liquor/alcohol. Evidently, due to this payment, they would become drunk old ladies who would be banished from their place of residence. Mainly they would be banished to the woods.


The history of the word is everything.

Bean sí (Ban-shee), bean sidhe (Ban-Shee), bean nighe (Ban-Nee-yuh) are the names and spelling for Ireland and the last is the spelling and name for Scotland. This spirit is female and can appear in many guises; young and beautiful, stately matron, or a hideous hag. She is usually seen in either a white or grey hooded cloak over red or green dresses. Her eyes are swollen from weeping and she has long wind-blown hair that can either be red or pale. The Scottish banshee has web-like duck feet, drooping breasts, and a single nostril.


It is said that the banshee is an omen of death.

She can be heard wailing, moaning, or singing of a death to come. The families that I mentioned she follows earlier, are the O’Conner’s, Kavanaghs, O’Grady's, O’Neill's, and O’Brien's. She only follows those who are of true Irish or Scottish descent. She is always heard outside places of death but never indoors. There are tales that claim she is not evil but would protect those who were pure/noble when death came for them. She is known in Ireland as the woman of the fairy mound, and the washer or laundry woman in Scotland. They both essentially have the same powers and are not ill-fated creatures. She is or is considered to be part of the fae. She is according to dictionary.com the caller of the spirits of the dead.

The origin of this myth all started during the 8th century when keeners were paid to sing and wail for the dead either at funerals or outside the homes of someone who is dying. This aided the inspiration in others mourning the loss of the town folk. I guess this is what obituaries were like back then. Long after the fad faded the legend lived on through stories of the Banshee. Several centuries later mainly in the 14th, the legend took a firm grasp in Scottish, Irish, and Norman literature. The legend was so well believed that even King James I had said he ran into one.

The motif for this creature is DEATH.

When one becomes severely ill or is knocking on death's door she appears. Keening, screaming, wailing you name it she does it. She is not the cause of death but essentially death's secretary. She is there to show who is dying or warn that someone is going to die. Some believe that she is the protector of the purist or noblest of souls and is a guardian. So, if you happen to encounter these beautiful fairy women, do not fret, just accept. I’m kidding if I learned anything from Charmed, Buffy, or Supernatural, kill it or run away!



 
 
 

Comments

Post: Blog2_Post
bottom of page