Song of the Banshee

I always remember the banshee! from Darby O'Gill and the Little People, but I never heard much about what a banshee really was other than a bringer of death (someone to avoid). As in today's culture you don't really learn about true histories of creatures; instead you are left to divulge the information for yourself from the internet or learn a bit about them in Charmed. I figured banshees! were mostly Irish but I didn't realize that they were originally family oriented.

According to tradition, the banshee can only cry for five major Irish families: the O'Neills, the O'Briens, the O'Connors, the O'Gradys and the Kavanaghs. Intermarriage has since extended this select list.