In the generally accepted understanding, fairies are the cutest mythical creatures. They jump on the flowers, dance in the moonlight, and try to help everyone. But among these people there is one special variety, a meeting with representatives of which does not bode well. On the contrary, you will want to run away as fast as you can, covering your ears with all available means. 
We are talking about banshees - a special subspecies of fairies from the folklore of the inhabitants of Ireland, who are considered harbingers of death. 
Although the descriptions of these spirits varied greatly in appearance, their purpose was the same throughout Ireland. Initially, this fairy-like creature appeared to the doomed in the body of a woman with flowing red hair and pale skin, or as an old woman with gray hair, black teeth and fiery eyes. According to popular belief, the banshee's cry, known as caoine or keening, was a harbinger of the approaching death of royalty, nobles and clan chiefs.
Origin of the character 
There is evidence that the banshee appeared at the beginning of the 8th century. According to the Irish tradition of that time, women mourned the death of a warrior with a mournful sad song. Rumor has it that these women were given alcohol as payment. At the time, the church considered this system of exchange to be sinful in the eyes of God. These mourners were subsequently punished for their activities by becoming banshees forever. 
A popular modern and non-occult explanation for the origin of this wild cry is that the humble barn owl, the barn owl, is responsible for it.
Banshee visits 
There were reports (and where would we be without them?) of eyewitnesses about infrequent meetings with the messenger of death. Part of the legend says that the banshee disappears in a cloud of smoke or fog if she believes that someone has noticed her. The only evidence of her presence is the sound of flapping wings. No matter how terrible the banshee's scream was, the Irish do not believe that she was actually responsible for the death that followed shortly after. From the Middle Ages, information came down that this Celtic creature actually protected the pure in soul and thoughts and noble people if they were overtaken by death. 
One of the most famous cases involving this character occurred on February 21, 1437. The Scottish king James I was approached by an Irish seer who predicted the assassination of the monarch by the Duke of Atholl. Shortly after this appeal, the king found himself trapped in a tunnel, where he was mortally wounded. It was rumored that this seer was an Irish banshee, although she did not utter any screams, but spoke in a normal voice.
The banshee's cries sounded differently in different places. In Leinster, the scream of a banshee could supposedly break glass. In County Kerry, on the other hand, the banshee sings a pleasant song and does not look so scary. In County Tyrone, the screams of a banshee sounded like wooden planks hitting each other. And on the island of Rathlin, according to some reports, before death, a sound similar to a combination of a woman’s cry and the cry of an owl is heard. 
For generations, high-ranking families entered into marriages. Therefore, many believed that the banshee had evolved to become a de facto member of most noble and royal Irish families. Even a change of place of residence did not affect the spirit, since the harbinger traveled around the world with her charges, like a kind nanny.
Banshees in other Celtic countries 
In other Celtic countries there are also legends about spirits announcing the approaching death of a noble person. For example, in Scotland, caoineag is clearly similar to a banshee. In Perthshire, a woman dressed in green would lay out a writhing sheet at night at the funeral of a royal or noble person. Kaoinig can be stopped in its tracks. True, if you stand between her and the river in which she is trying to wash the shroud.
Banshee today 
Reports of their appearance continue to this day. One of them occurred in June 2014. What started as an apparent cat cry in the middle of the night quickly escalated into a terrifying banshee phenomenon. The sound turned into a high-pitched scream that seemed to get closer and closer. A witness who was relatively safe in the room reported seeing a woman standing in the open with her head thrown back and screaming loud enough to cause pain in her ears. 
A few minutes later, one police patrol car arrived at the scene. But there was no one on the street. The arriving police suggested that it could be a banshee. That same night there was a death in the family of the only witness. 
Still from the film "Banshee of Inisherina" (2022)
But over time, the banshees became a relic of the past - life had changed too much. However, in Ireland and other Celtic countries, ancient stories are still told about women who appear before death.
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