Thursday, December 6, 2012

The Banshee - UPDATED!!!

~THE BANSHEE~


The Banshee is my ultimate favorite Irish myth. Honestly, I would love to witness one for myself, even though it isn't always a good thing to have an encounter with a Banshee. The Banshee is very interesting. Are you interested? Here is some interesting information about the Banshee....



------------------------


WHO IS THIS "BANSHEE" AND WHAT DOES SHE DO?


Quote:
"Banshee was a name for a fairy, possibly the variation of the Tuatha De Dannan. It is said that the wailing of the banshee foretold an approaching human death. Her name is a variation of "washing woman" and it is said that you may see her more often near a river or a lake. She is posed washing the bloody clothes of the person whose death she is foretelling. Another myth has then as the withered old women who died during child-birth."

SOURCE: READ MORE: 
 http://www.gods-heros-myth.com/godpages/banshee.html


----
Quote:
"The bean-sidhe (woman of the fairy may be an ancestral spirit appointed to forewarn members of certain ancient Irish families of their time of death. According to tradition, the banshee can only cry for five major Irish families: the O'Neills, the O'Briens, the O'Connors, the O'Gradys and the Kavanaghs. Intermarriage has since extended this select list."

SOURCE: READ MORE:
http://www.irelandseye.com/animation/explorer/banshee.html

----

Quote:
"The Banshee is also said to be tasked with the job of warning selected members of ancient Irish families of the time of their death. According to tradition, the banshee was only said to cry for four major families but this list seems to have been extended due to marriage."

SOURCE: READ MORE:
http://www.mythicalcreaturesguide.com/page/Banshee


----

Quote:
"When someone is about to die, the Banshee appears at the family's home during the night and weeps and wails. Sometimes, the Banshee cries for several nights in a row. Her sharp, cries and wails are also called 'keen'. The wail of a banshee pierces the night, it's notes rising and falling like the waves of the sea, it always announces a mortal's death."

SOURCE: READ MORE:
http://irelandnow.com/banshee.html


----

Quote:
"The evolved Banshee myth claims the spirit is a woman who died in childbirth; in some cases, a murdered woman. The cry of the Banshee varies in accounts as well, from a wail to a scream; from the screech of an owl to a low, sorrowful song. Regardless, the wail of the Banshee remains woven with death traditions of mourning songs or prophetic omens."

SOURCE: READ MORE:
http://suite101.com/article/a-short-history-of-the-banshee-a193811


----

Quote: 
"The banshee is a solitary, female figure known for her song - in latter times described as a wail. She is also sometimes known as the "White Lady" and is usually described as pale skinned with long hair and wearing grey or green. Her eyes are red with the centuries of crying; or, in some tales, with anger. She is often ethereal."

Quote:
"Initially the banshee would appear to mourn the dead. As time went on, the tales changed so that she began to fortell death. In some stories she would make an appearance when someone was on their death bed. In others her appearance or wail would foretell an unexpected death or disaster."

SOURCE: READ MORE:
http://www.wyrdology.com/fairies/celtic/banshee.html


------------------------


WHAT DOES THE BANSHEE LOOK LIKE?



Quote:
"Banshee usually come in three of many forms, the first being a young woman, the second being a rich middle-aged lady or matron, and the third being of a fraglie old woman. Another being, the bean-nighe (washing woman). In this form, she is apparently seen washing the bloodstains out of the fated person clothes."

SOURCE: READ MORE:
http://www.mythicalcreaturesguide.com/page/Banshee


----

Quote:
"When a member of the beloved race is dying, she paces the dark hills about his house. She sharply contrasts against the night's blackness, her white figure emerges with silver-grey hair streaming to the ground and a grey-white cloak of a cobweb texture clinging to her tall thin body. Her face is pale, her eyes red with centuries of crying."

SOURCE: READ MORE:
http://irelandnow.com/banshee.html

----

Quote:
"The banshee appears mainly in one of three quises: a young beautiful woman, a stately matron, and a scary old hag. She usually wears either a grey, hooded cloak over a green dress or the winding sheet or 'grave sheet' of the dead. Others claim that banshees are frequently dressed in white and often have long, fair hair which they brush with a silver comb. She may also appear as a washerwoman and is seen washing the blood stained clothes of those who are about to die."

SOURCE: READ MORE:
http://www.bellaterreno.com/art/irish/fairy/irishbanshees.aspx


------------------------


THE BANSHEE'S MOURNING CALL


Quote:
"Rarely seen but heard, her mourning call is often given at night when someone is about to die. In 1437, Scottish King James the I is said to have been approached by one such being. There have been numerous reports of same thing happening to members of the royal court and other high-profile members of Irish society."

SOURCE: READ MORE:
http://www.mythicalcreaturesguide.com/page/Banshee


----

Quote:
"Although not always seen, her mourning call is heard, usually at night when someone is about to die. In 1437, King James I of Scotland was approached by an Irish seeress or banshee who foretold his murder at the instigation of the Earl of Atholl. This is an example of the banshee in human form. There are records of several human banshees or prophetesses attending the great houses of Ireland and the courts of local Irish kings. In some parts of Leinster, she is referred to as the bean chaointe (keening woman) whose wail can be so piercing that it shatters glass. In Kerry, the keen is experienced as a "low, pleasant singing"; in Tyrone as "the sound of two boards being struck together"; and on Rathlin Island as "a thin, screeching sound somewhere between the wail of a woman and the moan of an owl"."

SOURCE: READ MORE:
http://www.irelandseye.com/animation/explorer/banshee.html


------------------------


WHEN SEVERAL BANSHEES APPEAR AT ONCE


Quote:
"When several banshees appear at once, it is said that a person great or holy has died. Banshee are commonly decipted as having long, fair hair which they comb with a silver comb. If one is to see such a comb, it is suggested not to pick it up or that person might be spirited away. Though to some the comb is simply a gift to someone they love or feel is important."


SOURCE: READ MORE:
http://www.mythicalcreaturesguide.com/page/Banshee



------------------------


MORE INTERESTING INFORMATION ABOUT THE BANSHEE


Quote:
"More likely the banshee should be thought of as the "spirit of the family", a spirit who attends to the family in a time of transition. The banshee is described as a wee woman with long white, blond or even auburn hair who appears in the vicinity of the birthplace of the soon to be deceased. When seen, she is wearing the clothes of a country woman, usually white, but sometimes grey, brown or red. The former hues represent the colors of mourning while red is associated with magic, fairies and the supernatural. In some accounts she is seen combing her hair as she laments. She is heard more often than seen, wailing as she approaches the abode in the late evening or early morning, sometimes perching on the windowsill two to three hours or even days before a death. As she moves off into the darkness witnesses describe a fluttering sound, such as the sound made by birds flying at night. Hence, the mistaken belief that banshees manifest as birds such as the crow. The inaccurate association with crows is probably due to confusion of the banshee with the primitive Celtic goddess Badb, the goddess of war who appeared frequently in the form of a crow."
"Banshees also wail around natural forms such as trees, rivers, and stones. Wedge shaped rocks known as "banshee's chairs" are found in Waterford, Monaghan and Carlow. Although there have been reports of banshees accompanying Irish families who emigrated to the Americas, it appears the banshee more often grieves for an emigrant at the ancestral family seat in Ireland. Stories are told of the misfortune visited upon men who interfered with the banshee by taking her comb or challenging her. These tales point up the value of courteousness towards women, the avoidance of drink, violence and late hours."

SOURCE: READ MORE: 
http://merganser.math.gvsu.edu/myth/banshee.html


------------------------


SHE'S WATCHING YOU!


Quote:
"In Ireland, those persons who have the gifts of music and song are, it is said, watched over by the spirits; one the Spirit of Life, which is prophecy, such persons are said to be 'fey' and to have the gift of the second sight; the other, the Spirit of Doom, which is the reveler of secrets of misfortune and death, and for this dread messenger another name is the Banshee."

SOURCE: READ MORE: 
http://www.movilleinishowen.com/history/mythology/legend_of_the_banshee.htm


------------------------


THE BANSHEE OR WHATEVER YOU CALL HER


Quote:
"A Banshee is called many things and goes by many names. Including Banshee, Banshi, Benshee, a female fairy, Woman of Peace, Lady of Death, the Angel of Death, the White Lady of Sorrow, the Nymph of the Air, or the Spirit of the Air."
"Whatever you call her, she is one thing, and one thing alone. A Banshee is a disembodied spirit; a ghost, in other words. Some Irish believe that the souls of the departed do not get taken from this earth, but dwell here, and are tied here. They either enjoy the happiness of a life well lived, or if during their life, they lived a life of sin, they were forced to suffer punishment. The spirits of the bad are restrained; forced to pay for their sins in areas near where these sins were committed."

SOURCE: READ MORE:
http://anna-marie-bowman.hubpages.com/hub/The-Banshee--An-Irish-Legend

----

Quote:
"The Irish have many names for her (perhaps they feared invocation of her true name may invoke her presence). They included: Washer of the Shrouds, Washer at the Banks, Washer at the Ford and the Little Washer of Sorrow. The Scottish called her cointeach, literally "one who keens." To the cornish she was cyhiraeth and to the Welsh either cyoerraeth or gwrach y rhibyn, which translates as Hag of the Dribble (to the Welsh she sometimes appear as a male). In Brittany her name is eur-cunnere noe."

SOURCE: READ MORE:
http://www.bellaterreno.com/art/irish/fairy/irishbanshees.aspx


------------------------


A FRIENDLY BANSHEE AND A HATEFUL BANSHEE


Quote:
"A 'friendly Banshee' is one who in life, had strong ties to her family, and in death, felt the need to watch over them, and keep close to them. A friendly Banshee is not the horrible, scary thing we imagine. Banshees are rarely seen, but are said to at times show themselves. They are said to be seen as young, beautiful women, with pale faces, either black or golden hair, and long, flowing, white garments."

Quote:
"A 'hateful Banshee' in life, had reasons to hate her family, and in death, is a dreaded visitor by the members of the family against which she has hate or anger. She is seen as an ugly and twisted, with distorted features and hate pouring from every line on her face. The screaming howls of a hateful Banshee are enough to make your blood run cold. Imagine the scariest witch from the scariest movie you have ever seen. Now make her even uglier, scarier, and screaming un-earthly howls at you on a dark night."

SOURCE: READ MORE:
http://anna-marie-bowman.hubpages.com/hub/The-Banshee--An-Irish-Legend


------------------------


WHO KNOWS?!


Quote:
"No one is sure how a Banshee obtains her prophetic knowledge, though there are theories out there. Some believe that each family member has a silent attendant, an observer, who follows them and reports information back to the Banshee. This is not a widely held believe, and belief in Banshees altogether is fading."

SOURCE: READ MORE:
http://anna-marie-bowman.hubpages.com/hub/The-Banshee--An-Irish-Legend


------------------------

- Rachel Livingston

No comments:

Post a Comment