‘The Banshee’s Wail Brought Me To The Woods.’

Sidhe or fairies, are pronounced shee.

There are various kinds of sidhe, but you should know about the banshee, or bean sídhe.

“The story of the bean-sidhe began as a fairy woman keening at the death of important persons. In later stories the appearance of the banshee could foretell the death. Banshees were said to appear for particular Irish families, though which families made it onto this list varied depending on who was telling the story.

The banshee can appear in a variety of guises. Most often she appears as an ugly, frightening hag, but can also appear as a stunningly beautiful woman of any age that suits her. In some tales, the figure who first appears to be a “banshee” is later revealed to be the Irish battle goddess, the Morrígan. The hag may also appear as a washer-woman, orbean-nighe, and is seen washing the blood stained clothes or armour of those who are about to die.” Read the full entry on the banshee at Wikipedia.

I have my own personal stake in the stories of the banshee. A timeline:

1988: I puchase Siouxsie and the Banshees’ “Peepshow”, which leads me to look up the word banshee. I get spooked. The music resonates in my young malleable heart. That album goes on as a monumental album for me. Check out two of the tracks, “Last Beat of My Heart” and “The Killing Jar.”

1993: I see Siouxsie and the Banshees for the first time at Lollapalooza. My wardrobe gets blacker for years to come.

1997: I go live in Ireland. I hear accounts from both old and young people about banshees in the Wicklow mountains, ghost stories that are tied to the banshee’s wail. I visit Celtic burial grounds that look eerily like….Sidhe mounds.

2006: I write a script and perform in the Neo-Futurists’ prime time show “Drag,” in which I tell my own coming out story against a backdrop of narratives that combine Aztec mythology, and a spooky tale of the Morrigan (often mistaken for a banshee). The photo above is a promotional shot for the show. Part of my script delivers an homage to Siouxsie Sioux. I attempt to dance like her, while dressed in monochromatic drag. Israel.

2009: I realize that my fascination with tunnels, grottoes and underground cities owes more to mythology than my own innate impulses.

The thread here is loose, but connected nonetheless. Narratives are at the core, both those in lyrics, poetry and folklore. My own aesthetic is woven in, too. And of course, now we are about two days away from Halloween, which means spirits, Sidhe, and other creatures are entering our realm.

Ah, the music of the Sidhe.