Barefoot over woodland trails, not on roads, Irish keening women were rural, wild, and a kind of hired psychopomp of oral tradition: a hinge between the living and the dead, but not fully a member of either. Irish legend speaks of a lament being sung by a fairy woman; she would sing it when a family member died or was about to die, even if the person had died far away and news of their death had not yet come, so that the wailing of the was the first warning the household had of the death. bean nighe (woman who washes blood from clothing) bean chaointe (keening woman) bean sí, baintsí (woman of the fairy mound) = BANSHEE The wailing praised the one dying, helped their spirit cross over, and supported the active grieving of the entire community. There is something in my Irish blood that wants to hold these songs in my mouth once again. Sources: Wikipedia, photos of Irish keening women Caithtí Bean Mhic Ghuibhrín, Mrs Margaret Modartha Kelly – the last known keening woman in south Armagh, Mrs Caithtí Sheáin Dobbins, who sang An Bhean Chaointe via orielarts.com. See and listen to my story for samples of keening songs. . #banshee #irish #keening #bheanchaointe #irishwake #stpatricksday
