Banshees

Banshees are supernatural beings from Irish and, to a lesser extent, Scottish folklore. They are typically depicted as female spirits who herald death in a family or community by emitting a loud wail or keening. The term banshee derives from the Irish bean sí or bean sídhe, meaning "woman of the sídhe," with sídhe referring to the fairy mounds of Irish legend. In traditional belief, a banshee is bound to a particular family, watching over its members and appearing to mourn or warn when death is near. The cries were seen as omens rather than agents of death.

In appearance, banshees are described in various ways: as a hooded or veiled woman, sometimes an angry or mournful spirit, and occasionally as an old or green-clad figure. The primary attribute is the wailing keening that foretells the death of a family member. Some accounts distinguish regional versions, though the core motif remains the same: a supernatural death omen.

Scholars typically classify banshees within the broader Irish supernatural tradition of the sídhe, rather than as demons. In modern popular culture, banshees appear in literature, film, and games, sometimes with expanded powers or romanticized traits, but traditional sources emphasize their role as a prophetic omen of death and a guardian-like figure tied to particular lineages.