Irish Banshee
The Irish death spirit wails before someone dies. Families have their own banshee. Hear her keening and a family member will die. She appears as an old woman or beautiful maiden, washing burial clothes or combing her hair.
The Banshee has announced Irish deaths for millennia.
The Spirit
What she is: a death omen spirit attached to families who wails before death. She is a female apparition of ancient origin.
Her Appearance
What people see varies: an old woman in rags, a beautiful young woman, a gray cloaked figure with red hair and a pale face.
The Cry
What she does is keen and wail before death occurs. Family members hear her piercing, unmistakable sound.
The Families
Traditionally, she appears to families like the O’Neill, O’Brien, O’Connor, O’Grady, and Kavanagh families, along with others bearing “O” or “Mac” surnames representing ancient Irish lineages.
Modern Reports
Still heard throughout Ireland and among the Irish diaspora before family deaths, multiple witnesses confirm the phenomenon continues today.
The Meaning
What it signifies: death is coming. She is a warning, not a cause, maintaining an ancient family connection that is respected and feared.