Tubber, County Galway

The Banshee (bean sidhe) is a fairy woman.
It is said in Ireland that the Banshee follows the O's and the Mac's. It is said also that when any of them dies the Banshee cries after them.
Many stories are told about the Banshee. There was once a man who used to visit his neighbour's house every night. On his way home he had to cross a stile. One night when he was coming home there was a woman sitting on the stile and she was combing her hair. When she saw the man coming she ran away and she left the comb on the stile. The man took the comb and he ran home with it. The Banshee followed him but she did not catch him. When she came to the door of the man's house she began to cry. The Banshee cry is very mournful. After a while the man got afraid and he put the comb out through the key-hole of the door with the tongs. The Banshee took the comb and she said that he was lucky when he did not put out his hand because she would break it if he did.

From the National Folklore Collection, UCD.