Banshee (Bean Sídhe)

Origin and tradition

The banshee is a mourning woman of Irish tradition whose cry is associated with an impending death. Her appearance varies, and the stories connect her with families and places rather than a fixed list of biological traits. The warning is a death omen, not necessarily an attack.

Illustration in this atlas

A gaunt ghost wearing a shimmering gray or emerald shroud cloak, with long silver hair, hollow tear-scalded crimson eyes, and bony fingers.

References and further reading

1. britannica.com — banshee

These references offer further reading. Accounts and depictions vary; the atlas illustration is interpretive artwork, rather than historical or scientific evidence.