The banshee (/ˈbænʃiː/ BAN-shee), from Irish: bean sí, pronounced  ("woman of the barrows") is a female spirit in Irish mythology, usually seen as an omen of death and a messenger from the underworld. In legend, a banshee is a fairy woman who begins to wail if someone is about to die. In Scottish mythology, she is known as the bean sìth or bean nighe ("washer woman") and is seen washing the bloodstained clothes or armour of those who are about to die. Alleged sightings of banshees have been reported as recently as 1948. Similar beings are also found in Welsh, Norse, and folklore of the United States. In legend, a banshee wails nearby when someone is about to die. There are Irish families who are believed to have banshees attached to them, and whose cries herald the death of a member of that family. Most, though not all, surnames associated with banshees have the Ó or Mc/Mac prefix, indicating their name is native to Ireland, not descended from invaders. They were also associate...