What does banshee mean?

Answer 1

Banshee (White Lady of Sorrow, Lady of Death, Irish Death Messenger, Bean Sighe): The banshee in Irish Gælic, is called 'bean sidhe', which means 'supernatural woman'. She is envisioned with a sunken nose, scraggy hair and huge hollow eye sockets. Her eyes are fiery red from continuous weeping. She wears a tattered white sheet flapping around her. She can also appear in a variety of other forms, such as that of a hooded crow, stoat, hare, weasel, and other animals associated in Irish witchcraft. Her wailing has been described in many ways. In some parts of Leinster, it is said that her wail can be so piercing that it shatters glass. In Kerry, the wail is heard 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. The Banshee will wail and pace outside the door, when a member of a beloved clan is dying. When more than one Banshee is present, and they wail and sing in chorus, this means that some holy or great one is dying. The Banshee can follow the descendants no matter where the Irish travels or emigrates. Sometimes, on special occasions, the Banshee will ride a pale horse alongside a Dullahan. They are very closely related to the bean-nighe of Scotland.

Answer 2

Banshee (White Lady of Sorrow, Lady of Death, Irish Death Messenger, Bean Sighe): The banshee in Irish Gælic, is called 'bean sidhe', which means 'supernatural woman'. She is envisioned with a sunken nose, scraggy hair and huge hollow eye sockets. Her eyes are fiery red from continuous weeping. She wears a tattered white sheet flapping around her. She can also appear in a variety of other forms, such as that of a hooded crow, stoat, hare, weasel, and other animals associated in Irish witchcraft. Her wailing has been described in many ways. In some parts of Leinster, it is said that her wail can be so piercing that it shatters glass. In Kerry, the wail is heard 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. The Banshee will wail and pace outside the door, when a member of a beloved clan is dying. When more than one Banshee is present, and they wail and sing in chorus, this means that some holy or great one is dying. The Banshee can follow the descendants no matter where the Irish travels or emigrates. Sometimes, on special occasions, the Banshee will ride a pale horse alongside a Dullahan. They are very closely related to the bean-nighe of Scotland.