banshee

thumb|Bunworth Banshee, Fairy Legends and Traditions of the South of Ireland, by [[Thomas Crofton Croker, 1825|300x300px]]

A banshee ( ; Modern Irish , from , "woman of the fairy mound" or "fairy woman") is a female spirit in Irish folklore who heralds the death of a family member, usually by screaming, wailing, shrieking, or keening. Her name is connected to the mythologically important tumuli or "mounds" that dot the Irish countryside, which are known as (singular ) in Old Irish.