The Legend Of The Banshee

Through my research I have found that there is not just one story about the Banshee, who you will learn more about on this page. Multiple people have real life recollections that they shared Orally in the past and now, sometimes Publish. The Banshee is often depicted and stereotyped as a scary and sinister being, but with reading the stories, it is merely an emotional being whaling warning signs.

This short story has been taken from Duchas.ie, a wonderful Irish Archival website where you can find handwritten excerpts of original folktales. The one I have picked is called A true story of the Banshee by New Ross

Between fifteen and twenty year's ago a lady by the name of Miss Dunphy N.T. Irish-town heard the Banshee. One night Miss Dunphy went to bed and after a long sleep she was awakened by a noise.
Her bedroom window faced down the Irish-town.
When she woke up she was dazed by sleep. She heard screams. At first she thought it was the howling of dogs ut as the screaming came nearer it filled the whole vault of the heavens. Then all of a sudden it struck her that it was the Banshee.The lady got out of bed and went to the maid's room. She woke the maid and told her she had heard the Banshee. Then the maid said "Come on over to the window until we see what she is like."But Miss Dunphy did not go over. The maid looked out the window and she said : "That's she alright."
"What is she like?" Miss Dunphy asked.
The description she gave her was :-
At first she looked like a huge tangled ball of wool but as soon as she came nearer she assumed a woman's form. After a time she sat on the corner of the Bosheen and started keening and combing her hair. After a while she disappearedThat same night the Banshee was heard in Ryleen and in the Maudlins and on that very night a man named Mc. Carthy died in the Maudlins.It is said that the Banshee follows families whose names begin with "O" or "Mac."