When a member of a very old family is about to die, the Bean Shide [sic] or fairy woman cries. Sometimes the Bean Shide sings hymns. The person who is going to die never hears the Bean Shide.
One morning a man was going to a fair in Ballygar, and he saw a woman dressed in white silk, sitting on a rock in a field some distance away from him. He, thinking that it was a farmer's daughter he was looking at, said "Tis early you are out." The woman looked at him, paused, and then began to sing a beautiful hymn. The man still thought that it was a farmer's daughter but he thought that she had gone mad.
He stood watching her, and all of a sudden, she burst into a wild cry and vanished. The man grew frightened for he then realised that it was not a person belonging to this life he had seen.
He went to the fair and when he came home he heard that the daughter of one of his neighbours was dead. Then he knew that it was the Bean-Shide he had seen.
In other places a coach comes up to the door at midnight and stays until the person is dead. Then it goes away. Sometimes a "ghostly funeral" goes from the house of the dead person to the graveyard. It is often followed by women who cry and wring their hands over the coffin.
When the "funeral" reaches the graveyard it fades away at the spot where the person is to be buried.
From the National Folklore Collection UCD.
Showing posts with label Galway. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Galway. Show all posts
Sunday, 12 March 2017
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.
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.
Brackloon, County Galway
Close to our school there is a fort or a lios. It is circular in shape.
There is only the remains of one fence around this fort now. There is no
trace of a cave in this fort. Right beside this fort little children
are buried. The old people call this graveyard a Cilleachán. There are
no children buried there now. This fort is called Lios na Sidheog. The
Bean Sidhe has been heard crying from a stream at the back of the school
across to the fort on several occasions. Our teacher heard her crying
on one occasion. One night at about twelve o'clock and the next day a
member of a very old family was dead. This fort has never been
excavated.
From the National Folklore Collection, UCD.
From the National Folklore Collection, UCD.
Ballinderry, County Galway
There are various stories told about the "bean-sidhe". The "bean-sidhe"
is a fairy woman, and it is said that she used to follow many families
and that a mournful cry would be heard near the house a night or two
before one of the family died. It is also said that whether the person
would die near the place or not, that the cry would be heard near the
old home.
There are other stories about the "bean-sidhe" been seen at the river side washing clothes and singing a mournful song as she washed, and it was also said that that was another sure sign of a death.
This is a story I heard about her. There was a certain family in Ballinastack and the "bean-sidhe" was always following them. One time a boy out of the family went to America and he was not long there when he fell seriously ill. One day when the rest of the family were doing their work out in the fields, the "bean-sidhe" kept crying beside them all day. One night as they were sitting around the fire a shadow passed by the door with a bag in its hand, and that was the very night and the very time the boy died.
From the National Folklore Collection, UCD.
There are other stories about the "bean-sidhe" been seen at the river side washing clothes and singing a mournful song as she washed, and it was also said that that was another sure sign of a death.
This is a story I heard about her. There was a certain family in Ballinastack and the "bean-sidhe" was always following them. One time a boy out of the family went to America and he was not long there when he fell seriously ill. One day when the rest of the family were doing their work out in the fields, the "bean-sidhe" kept crying beside them all day. One night as they were sitting around the fire a shadow passed by the door with a bag in its hand, and that was the very night and the very time the boy died.
From the National Folklore Collection, UCD.
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