Banshee: Ireland’s Screaming Harbinger of Death
You might not think a crying, screaming ghost is a good thing, but you’d be wrong. The Irish banshee does predict death, but she also serves as a cathartic symbol and has a long history going all the way back to the 8th century. Dr. Zarka shows how this wailing female ghost connects to the very real Irish tradition of keening— a rhythmic wailing and mourning performed by women as part of the death ritual. Tune in to see how fact and fiction combine to create a supernatural tradition that connects the people of Ireland to their ancestors.