A Kilcullen Fairytale.
Residents in Kilcullen have not been sleeping too soundly this past week. Reason is not the close proximity of the festive season, but the reported presence of the "fairy-woman," our legacy from the ancient seanachie, that "spirit" peculiar to the Irish - in short, our old friend, the Banshee.
Well may the sceptics scoff and logically minded laugh in scorn - but she was seen, it has been told. A local Juliett, dallying by the not so bright wayside with a not so local Romeo, cast her eyes upon the spectre and (with commendable presence of mind, we think) promptly fainted.
Dismayed, but daunted not, right gallantly did Rome carry his fainting sweetheart to her home. The train of after events is not too clear, but it would not appear as if the young man did not hanker after further encounter with the fairy-woman - so he enlisted the aid of a taxi-man to reach his own more distant abode. Or perhaps we do him an injustice - the task of carrying Juliet may have overtaxed his strength.
In any event we cannot guarantee the truth of the latter part of the story; or, for that matter, any part of the story!
Some, no doubt, will not agree with us when we dismiss the whole matter as a figment of imagination, or, more probably, the upshot of a practical joke. It is a seasonal story and we would like to treat it as such and leave to the fairy-woman the freedom of the four winds and unconditional licence to exercise her vocal chords [sic.] (do banshees have vocal chords?) in practice of her weird wail.
But for a lot of Kilcullen's mothers the alleged incident had much more serious repercussions. Children are all ears, they say, and Kilcullen's youngsters missed little of the story, and dreams of banshees and fairy-women are not nearly as pleasant as dreams of Santa Claus and Christmas pudding. And children screaming in early morning nightmares are not conducive to the regulation period of rest presecribed for hard-worked parents.
It is hardly likely that the practical joker (we have no doubt there was a practical joker) is married, but we can only hope that it is so and that the sleep-shattering yells of his (or her) offspring has brought retribution and the belated judgement that the fairies are best left alone.
Leinster Leader, 22nd December, 1951.
Showing posts with label 1950s. Show all posts
Showing posts with label 1950s. Show all posts
Sunday, 4 June 2017
Kilnantic, County Kildare
You don't believe in banshees? Well, talk to Mr Richard Mather, Kilnantic, Rathangan, and he will do his best to make you change your mind! Mr Mather is convinced that a banshee is at present prowling around the Kilnantic area - because he heard her.
"It was a long, long wailing sound which lasted for five minutes; I would not like ever to hear it again," he told our representative. He heard "the wail" sometime after midnight just as he entered his home after driving from Waterford.
You still don't believe it? Neither do I, but Mr Mather is quite willing to test your nerves by challenging you to sit up some night at the spot. But he won't be with you!
Leinster Leader, 19th November 1955.
Dear Sir, - Re your report of "Banshee" heard in Rathangan district. Has your correspondent ever heard a vixen fox calling her mate? Well I have, many a time, one of these soloists treated us to his [sic] performance every night at practically the same hour, and in the distance could be heard her boy friends barking in response.
I do not blame anyone for thinking of "Banshees" or any other weird creature, for of all the hair-raising sounds one could imagine this animal's cry is the worst I've ever heard - something between the screaming of a child, or of a woman being strangled. It has to be heard to be believed.
I've invited some neighbours to come and listen to it, and they nearly died from fright, especially when Mrs Vixen jumped out of a hedge quite near us, and ran off protesting. I'm sorry to attempt to explode the exciting "Banshee" thrill, but offer a possible solution, which may save some nervous person having an attack of "jitters."
- Yours, etc., (Miss) B. Gregg, Kilmeague.
Leinster Leader, 26th November, 1955.
Still sticking to his story - that he heard a banshee cry - is Mr Richard Mather, Kilnantic. And to the kind lady who wrote in these columns that his banshee was really a vixen, Mr. Mather replies: "I have heard most native animals cry at night, including the fox and the vixen, but there is nothing like the cry of a woman - and it was a woman I heard."
Leinster Leader, 17th December 1955.
"It was a long, long wailing sound which lasted for five minutes; I would not like ever to hear it again," he told our representative. He heard "the wail" sometime after midnight just as he entered his home after driving from Waterford.
You still don't believe it? Neither do I, but Mr Mather is quite willing to test your nerves by challenging you to sit up some night at the spot. But he won't be with you!
Leinster Leader, 19th November 1955.
Dear Sir, - Re your report of "Banshee" heard in Rathangan district. Has your correspondent ever heard a vixen fox calling her mate? Well I have, many a time, one of these soloists treated us to his [sic] performance every night at practically the same hour, and in the distance could be heard her boy friends barking in response.
I do not blame anyone for thinking of "Banshees" or any other weird creature, for of all the hair-raising sounds one could imagine this animal's cry is the worst I've ever heard - something between the screaming of a child, or of a woman being strangled. It has to be heard to be believed.
I've invited some neighbours to come and listen to it, and they nearly died from fright, especially when Mrs Vixen jumped out of a hedge quite near us, and ran off protesting. I'm sorry to attempt to explode the exciting "Banshee" thrill, but offer a possible solution, which may save some nervous person having an attack of "jitters."
- Yours, etc., (Miss) B. Gregg, Kilmeague.
Leinster Leader, 26th November, 1955.
Still sticking to his story - that he heard a banshee cry - is Mr Richard Mather, Kilnantic. And to the kind lady who wrote in these columns that his banshee was really a vixen, Mr. Mather replies: "I have heard most native animals cry at night, including the fox and the vixen, but there is nothing like the cry of a woman - and it was a woman I heard."
Leinster Leader, 17th December 1955.
Explanations refuted, County Laois
The Cry In The Night.
Editor "Leinster Leader."
Dear Editor, as one who claims to know, I must disagree with Miss Gregg, regarding the cry of the she fox; it is not what she describes. A she fox cries like a rabbit in a snare or trap. Often I heard her. Nearly everyone knows the sharp cry of the dog fox, but he has another cry also, very like a turkey cock gobbling; you hear him at it in the spring or mating season.
There is no disputing the Banshee's cry. It is like what she says, a cross between the screaming of a child and a woman being strangled.
Yours truly, R. Kelly.
Portarlington.
Editor "Leinster Leader."
Dear Editor, as one who claims to know, I must disagree with Miss Gregg, regarding the cry of the she fox; it is not what she describes. A she fox cries like a rabbit in a snare or trap. Often I heard her. Nearly everyone knows the sharp cry of the dog fox, but he has another cry also, very like a turkey cock gobbling; you hear him at it in the spring or mating season.
There is no disputing the Banshee's cry. It is like what she says, a cross between the screaming of a child and a woman being strangled.
Yours truly, R. Kelly.
Portarlington.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)