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2006-07-10 12:53:55 · 15 answers · asked by white girl 1 in Beauty & Style Skin & Body

15 answers

Banshee

The banshee is a creature in Irish mythology, the word being derived from the Old Irish ben síde, modern Irish bean sídhe or bean sí, "fairy woman" (bean, woman, and sidhe, being the tuiseal ginideach or possessive case of "fairy"). The sídh are derived from pre-Christian Gaelic deities.

Traditionally, when a citizen of an Irish village died, a woman would sing a lament or modern Irish caoineadh (pronounced "kweenyah") at their funeral. These women singers are sometimes referred to as "keeners". Legend has it that, for five great Gaelic families: the O'Gradys, the O'Neills, the O'Briens, the O'Connors, and the Kavanaghs, the lament would be sung by a fairy woman. These families had a fairy woman associated with them, who would make an appearance after a death in the family to sing this lament. Tales recount how, when the family member had died far away then the appearance or, in some tales, the sound of the fairy keener, might be the first intimation of the death.

When these oral narratives were first translated into English, a distinction between the "banshee" and other fairy folk was introduced which does not seem to exist in the original stories in their original (Irish or Scottish) Gaelic forms. Similarly, the funeral lament became a mournful cry or wail by which the death is heralded. In these tales, hearing the banshee's wail came to predict a death in the family and seeing the banshee portends one's own death.

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. This comb detail is also related to the centuries-old traditional romantic Irish story that, if you ever see a comb lying on the ground in Ireland, you must never pick it up, or the banshees (or mermaids - stories vary), having placed it there to lure unsuspecting humans, will spirit such gullible humans away. Other stories portray banshees as dressed in green or black with a grey 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.

2006-07-10 12:59:30 · answer #1 · answered by Angie P. 6 · 0 0

Banshee (aka Sean Cassidy) was an X-man, who originally appeared in 1967. As such, yes Banshee is a Boy.

2006-07-10 19:59:58 · answer #2 · answered by Infidelus_Prime 3 · 0 0

A banshee is a woman, whose screams mimic mine when I see a spider.

My mom always told us kids, "Quiet down! Y'all sound like a bunch of banshees!" So I think it was pretty bad.

2006-07-10 20:00:03 · answer #3 · answered by Naomi Joy 2 · 0 0

A Banshee is neither.

2006-07-10 19:56:03 · answer #4 · answered by XXXDirtyDirtyGirlXXX 6 · 0 0

Banshee
In Gaelic folklore, a banshee is a female spirit whose wailing outside a house foretells the death of one of its inhabitants.

2006-07-10 19:56:36 · answer #5 · answered by scruffycat 7 · 0 0

The mythical creature? I think banshees are females.

2006-07-10 19:55:44 · answer #6 · answered by every1lovesamixedgirl 4 · 0 0

A banshee is usually a woman...it's a witch who I think if you hear the sound of her voice or you see her, you'll die.

2006-07-10 19:56:22 · answer #7 · answered by Yondie 3 · 0 0

no a banshee is a woman

2006-07-10 19:55:45 · answer #8 · answered by basque girl 4 · 0 0

No, it's a female spirit in Gaelic folklore believed to predicet, by loud, keening wailing, a death in a family

2006-07-10 19:57:41 · answer #9 · answered by oh kate! 6 · 0 0

no, both.......not sure what it is but the old saying.....screaming like a banshee.......hummmmmmm, must be a monster

2006-07-10 19:58:44 · answer #10 · answered by goatlady 2 · 0 0

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