The History of Banshees

Hello lovelies, I hope you’re well and doing your best as always. I love mythology and I wanted to talk about an old legend that has been scarying people for centuries. So, grab yourself some snacks and maybe a cuppa and let me tell you the history behind the terrifying Banshee.

Translated from Old Irish Banshee means Women of the Fairies or Woman of the Fairy Mound (Bean Sidhe). According to the Irish Post, Banshee mythology:

“Is connected to the various mounds of earth dotted around the Irish countryside known as tumuli. These tumuli traditionally covered a grave or a number of graves and were said to be home to spirits of the dead.”

We recognise Banshees today as women who ‘lore men to their deaths,’ or a sign of death to come. Terrifying women that wail and scream, sent to bring you harm. This is not true. In fact Banshees were known as women of peace, and would show up to those whose loved ones will die soon, not themselves. Old stories of the Banshees depict the women seen washing blood of limbs, heads and various pieces of clothing.

This image changed once again to a wailing solitary woman travelling the Irish countryside with her head in hands. Her wail and tears to some are a song of senerity and claim her to be a Woman of Peace, and the Lady of Death.

Historians have been able to trace the first accounts of Banshees back to the 8th century. They are depicted as woman that sing sorrowful songs to lament someone’s death. The singing is described as wailing, so you can begin to see how the image of the Banshee developed on it’s own accord.

That doesn’t mean those who have claimed to see a Banshee are lairs. In fact there are a few famous incounters of those who have heard the Banshees wail and lost a loved one the following day.

There are many reports of children witnessing old women sitting on rocks wailing, to little girls standing in their windows to see a shadowed figure to then lose someone the next day. The one account the caught my eye in particular was the case of the Yacht Party on an Italian Lake.

“…alleged to have witnessed a woman with a shock or red hair and a hellish look in her eyes. The owner, Count Nelsini , formally known as O’Neill, became anxious that the Banshee was announcing the death of his wife or daughter, but within two hours he was seized with an angina attack and died.”

The Banshees’ comes in three appearances, either a young girl (madien), a mature woman (marton), or elderly woman (crone), very similar to Hecate. The red hair and green kirtle and scarlet mantle (traditional dress of Ireland), is associated with the Banshee.

No matter what you may believe, the legend of the Banshees’ have kept many scared and intrigued for over a millenia. So what do you think? Do you think there is truth in the legend of the Banshee or is it just a story to understand death?

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