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banshee (dict)
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Banshee - This article describes the banshee of Irish and Scottish mythology. For other uses, see Banshee (disambiguation).
The banshee (pronounced /ˈbnʃiː/) is a creature in Irish mythology, the word being derived from the Old Irish ben sde, modern Irish bean sdhe or bean s, "fairy woman" (bean, woman, and sidhe, being the tuiseal ginideach or possessive case of 'fairy'). They are remnants of the Tuatha D Danann. Traditionally some Irish families had a banshee associated with them, and the banshee might make an appearance before a death in the family. The banshee is particularly well known for a mournful cry or wail by which this death is heralded. Some traditions distinguish between seeing and hearing the banshee. In these tales hearing the banshee's wail is said to predict a death in the family and seeing the banshee portents one's own death. In Irish mythology banshees are frequently dressed in white, and often have long, fair hair which they brush with a silver comb, a detail scholar Patricia Lysaght attributes to confusion with local mermaid myths. Other legends portray her as dressed in green or black with a gray cloak. Banshees were common in Irish and Scottish folk stories such as those written down by Herminie T. Kavanagh. They enjoy the same mythical status in Ireland as fairies and leprechauns, though they are perhaps slightly more widely believed. Banshees in fiction Banshees have been portrayed in the U.S. television series Charmed as demonic women, formerly witches, who feed on people's pain. They were also mentioned briefly in the popular Harry Potter series of fantasy novels as the greatest fear of Seamus Finnegan when he faced the Boggart. Banshees also make an appearance in the Warcraft series of computer games as units in the armies of the undead. References - The Banshee: The Irish Death Messenger by Patricia Lysaght, 1986, Roberts Rinehart Publishers. 1-57098-138-8
- An Encyclopedia of Fairies by Katharine Briggs, 1976, Pantheon Books. 0-394-73467-X
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