Today Siobhán McSweeney (Derry Girls) joins Anthony Delaney and Maddy Pelling for the story of the Banshee. In Irish folklore, the Banshee heralds the death of a family member, usually by shrieking, or keening. Anthony tells us a story about one dying man - Charles Bunworth d.1772 - who was called to his death by a Banshee's wailing cries. 0:00 Introduction to the Banshees Episode 1:01 Meet Our Guest: Siobhan McSweeney 2:22 The Legend: The Death of Charles Bunworth (1772) 7:52 What is a Banshee? Origins & Mythology 11:32 The "O’s and Macs": Which Families are Haunted? 18:11 The Herdsman’s Warning: Keening & Professional Mourning 25:54 The Gaelic Revival: Reinventing Irish Identity 31:19 The Final Encounter: A Supernatural Deathbed 38:04 Growing up Catholic: Superstition vs. Religion 41:54 Why the Banshee Endures: The Power of Storytelling This episode was edited by Tim Arstall. Produced by Stuart Beckwith and McKenna Fernandez. Edited by Anna Brant. The senior producer was Freddy Chick. After Dark: Myths, Misdeeds & the Paranormal is a History Hit podcast. Sign up to History Hit for hundreds of hours of original documentaries, with a new release every week and ad-free podcasts. Sign up at https://www.historyhit.com/subscribe. All music from Epidemic Sounds. #HistoryHitPodcast #AfterDark #Banshees