A spirit from ancient Irish/Scottish Celtic mythology.
From Old Irish "ben síde" and modern Irish "bean sídhe"/"bean sí", the word roughly means "woman of the fairies" ("bean": "woman"; "sídhe": "fairy mound"). When a citizen of a village dies, a woman (sometimes known as keener (taken from the Irish Gaelic word "caoin" ("to weep/cry")) would sing a caoineadh (lament); legend has it that, for five great Gaelic families: the O'Gradys, the O'Neills, the O'Briens, the O'Connors, and the Kavanaghs, the lament would be sung by a particular fairy woman.
When the stories were translated into English, a distinction between the "banshee" and the other fairy folk was introduced which does not seem to exist in the original stories in their original language, and the funeral lament became a wail that heralded a death. Hearing the cry of the banshee came to forewarn a death in the family and seeing the banshee would signify one's own death.
Most often, the banshee appears a maiden in white, combing their cascading fair hair with a silver comb (which is likely confused with local mermaid myths), while they are also shown in black or green and wearing a grey cloak.
She may also appear (near a body of water) as a washer-woman, and is seen apparently washing the blood-stained clothes of the ones who are about to die. In this guise she is known as the bean-nighe (washing woman).
From Old Irish "ben síde" and modern Irish "bean sídhe"/"bean sí", the word roughly means "woman of the fairies" ("bean": "woman"; "sídhe": "fairy mound"). When a citizen of a village dies, a woman (sometimes known as keener (taken from the Irish Gaelic word "caoin" ("to weep/cry")) would sing a caoineadh (lament); legend has it that, for five great Gaelic families: the O'Gradys, the O'Neills, the O'Briens, the O'Connors, and the Kavanaghs, the lament would be sung by a particular fairy woman.
When the stories were translated into English, a distinction between the "banshee" and the other fairy folk was introduced which does not seem to exist in the original stories in their original language, and the funeral lament became a wail that heralded a death. Hearing the cry of the banshee came to forewarn a death in the family and seeing the banshee would signify one's own death.
Most often, the banshee appears a maiden in white, combing their cascading fair hair with a silver comb (which is likely confused with local mermaid myths), while they are also shown in black or green and wearing a grey cloak.
She may also appear (near a body of water) as a washer-woman, and is seen apparently washing the blood-stained clothes of the ones who are about to die. In this guise she is known as the bean-nighe (washing woman).
The haunting sound of a woman sobbing echoed faintly, but clearly, through the night... the cry of the banshee!
by Lorelili September 02, 2006
people are actually getting the definition of a banshee very wrong. let me quote from john allan's "mysteries".
"banshees are really guardian spirits rather than harbingers of doom, but their cry always spell disaster."
so a banshee, or a bansidhe is not the cause of death of someone, but a warning cry, if you will.
"banshees are really guardian spirits rather than harbingers of doom, but their cry always spell disaster."
so a banshee, or a bansidhe is not the cause of death of someone, but a warning cry, if you will.
by angrytoast March 23, 2009
A beautiful girl who routinely is too hard on her appearance, not realizing she's always the most gorgeous girl in the room. She uses banshee in a negative sense, unaware of its completely meaning.
Guy: "Hi. I love the way your hair looks!"
Girl: "Really? This mess? Oh, my gosh, I look like a banshee."
Guy: "I'm not sure that means what you think it means. Banshee is good!"
Girl: "Really? This mess? Oh, my gosh, I look like a banshee."
Guy: "I'm not sure that means what you think it means. Banshee is good!"
by beautifulsg July 12, 2010
by The banshee master January 31, 2004
by Mandy January 29, 2004
by Brock Guilfoyle January 04, 2006