| The screaming banshee is from Irish and Scottish lore and is a creature that is also referred to as the White Lady, the White Lady of Death, the White Lady of Sorrow, and the Lady of Death (Taggart). She is also known to be referred to as "The Female Fairy," "The Angel of Death," "The Woman of Peace," "The Nymph of the Air" and the "Spirit of the Air" ("Banshee"). According to the listing in The Illustrated Encyclopedia of Fairies by Anna Franklin, the banshee is also referred to as "The Woman of the Mound" and is a being that "attaches itself" to families of Scottish and Irish Descent (22). Franklin further suggests that the Banshee will attach itself to families that are "particularly gifted in music or song" (22). The word "banshee" is derived from "bean sidhe" (Irish) and "bean sith" (Gaelic) which comes to mean "woman of the faeries" (Buckland 35). No matter what other names the screaming banshee is known by, it has been a source of interest for those interest in myth, legends, and hauntings for centuries. The White Lady or Screaming Banshee is known for screaming at night and their screams are believed to forecast the death of one of the Irish family members that hears her cry. The term White Lady is not to be confused with the term Grey Lady or Gray Lady, a term used to describe a number of different hauntings where a female apparition appears. The banshee may appear at a location on more than one occasion, forewarning the family of imminent death. The screams of a banshee do not necessarily forewarn about the death of an individual at the location that it appears, but it can also mean the death of a blood relative that is some distance from the vicinity. Certain tales indicate that a banshee can only be heard by those possessing pure Irish or Scottish blood. The banshee is less commonly known for their practice of signing sorrowfuls songs and is more commonly depicted as creatures that weep and/or scream in say a way that the creature conveys a sense of invevitable doom to those that are unfortunate enough to hear the cry of the banshee. Some descriptions of the screaming banshee describe her as beautiful, while others describe her as frightening in appearance (Guiley 34). Reports have described the Screaming Banshee as a creature that either appears in all white, in all red, or in a grey cloak with a green under-dress (Guiley 34). Descriptions of the Banshee also suggest that the Banshee's eyes are red-some portrayals suggest that a banshee's eyes are fiery while others suggest that they are red from perpetual weeping and grief for the dead (Guiley 34). The banshee can appear as young or old and numerous portrayals describe a creature that can take on the appearance of various animals. The Encyclopedia Mythica lists the Screaming banshee as a creature that appears with long flowing hair in a cloak and a green dress and further describes the appearance of several banshees as heralding the death of someone very great or holy" (Lindemans). Sources: "Banshee." Occultpedia. 2006. 16 May 2006 <http://www.occultopedia.com/b/banshee.htm>. Buckland, Raymond. "Banshee." The Witch Book: The Encyclopedia of Witchcraft, Wicca, and Neo-paganism. Detroit: Visible Ink, 2002. 35. Franklin, Anna. "Banshee." The Illustrated Encyclopedia of Fairies. London: Vega, 2000. Guiley, Rosemary Ellen. "banshee." The Encyclopedia of Ghosts and Spirits. 2nd ed. New York: Checkmark Books, 2000. 34. 22. Lindemans, Michas F. "Banshee." Encyclopedia Mythica. 14 Jan. 2004. 16 May 2006 <http://www.pantheon.org/articles/b/banshee.html>. Taggart, Nicole. "Irish Myths and Legends." The Wonders of Ireland. 1998. 16 May 2006 <http://www.jantacc.demon.co.uk/ire.htm>. |
| Banshee |
 |
 |
 |
| Copyright 2005-2007. ISIS Paranormal Investigations. All Rights Reserved. No part of this website may be used or copied without permission from the ISIS Cofounders. All graphics on this website that do not belong to ISIS Paranormal Investigations remain the sole property of the creator. |