Banshee

In Celtic (primarily Irish) folklore, a long-haired ghost woman in a long cloak, whose appearance or cry (moans) foreshadows death. It is believed that she is crying for someone who will soon die.

Usually they wander stealthily among the trees, or fly. They emit piercing screams, in which the cries of wild geese, the sobs of a child and the howl of a wolf seem to merge, foreshadowing the death of one of the members of the genus.

The original term, irl. bean sídhe, consisting of bean — a woman, and sídhe — Shi, which together translates as "a woman from the Sidhe", from the other world.

Along with the generally accepted designation, many areas of the island have their own local names for the banshee, and in some areas of the island, until relatively recently, only the local name was used:

• So, in the counties of Limerick, Tipperary and Mayo, the name irl. an bean chaointe is common, which literally means a crying woman, a mourner.
• In the southeastern part of Ireland, the name banshee is derived from the Irish word badhbh (badb), meaning an aggressive, scary and dangerous woman.
• In the Middle Ages in Ireland, the name badhbh was often called the goddesses of war.
• In the counties of Lyon, Kilkenny and Tipperary, the name boshenta (boshenta), derived from badhbh chaointe, is common.
• In Waterford, the banshee is called bibe —baib.
• In Carlow, Wexford, as well as in the south of counties Kildare and Wicklow, the name bow — bow is common.

According to different versions:

• the ghost (spirit) of a female mourner, as mourning and sobbing is one of her characteristic features. Some Irishmen believe that if the mourner did not perform her duties properly, then even after death she continues to mourn the dying.
• the patron spirit of the family that she notifies of death, that is, there is a hereditary connection between them, it can also be the progenitor of the family.

According to the description, this is a woman (young or old) with long white or gray hair, wearing a white raincoat. More often it's just the sound of crying without a visible source. Most often appears at dusk or dark.