Sidhe
 

Who else knows about the Sidhe? I just learned of them yesterday and I cannot stop thinking of them! They seem like such an amazing people, I feel so connected to them! Already I've been inspired to write a short story about them. So yeah if anyone wants to come discuss them come here! They are so awesome<3

The sidhe,pronounced,"shee" is the collective term for fairies ,used in Ireland,to learn more I recommend a book called "The middle kingdom" by D.M.Mcmannas, published in 1953,reprinted in 1973,this book gives incredible down to earth accounts of fairy encounters,fairly recently in Ireland

You mean encounters with the Sidhe? As in the different group of fairies?

I have had one encounter with what I believe to have been a Sidhe - in a woods in Ireland - looked like a very tall man, peeking out from the window or a ruined building. He was there for just a split second, then dissapeared. His face was not like any man I have ever seen, large eyes, his nose almost pointed and his head seemed to come up to a peek.

The family I married into also has a Bean Sidhe (Banshee). Legends say only families with Mac or O' at the start of their sir names have them.

oh my gosh you are so lucky! I hope one day when I go to Ireland I see them! And that's really cool that your family has a Bean Sidhe! But at the same time kind of scary...I'm not entirely sure what they are though. I know what they do, but are they of the Sidhe people?
Oh by the way not trying to be mean or anything but your cat looks like my cat's evil twin lol. I love black cats<3

Ha, my cat is a total softie - she justs likes people to believe that she is evil!!

The name Bean Sidhe translates to fairy (sidhe) woman (bean). She is seen as either an old hag or a young woman, crying, wearing flowing white robes. She is often seen near water, or sometimes appears at the end of ones bed where she sits combing her hair. She offers warnings of danger or predicts the death of one in the family. At the time of the death she can be heard keening.

Although she is a scary figure, she is actually a protecting fairy - she predicts death, she doesn't cause it.

The only encounter I know of in my family was just before my husbands father died - the bean sidhe was seen out side his second storey window, when she was spotted she hurled her comb at the window and dissapeared. There was a scorch mark left where the comb had hit the window frame.
I don't know this to be true, as I didn't know them at the time and the window has since been painted, but the family including my husband, whom I trust, swear its true.

Wow that's really cool and scary. I'm kind of freaked out now lol

"Riders of the Sidhe" painted by John Duncan

http://i282.photobucket.com/albums/kk267/norseman_photo/13ad0419.png


There is a place in the Pennines/Dales where I walk which is called Gunnerside - the original spelling was thought to be Gunnar's Sidhe ! It was a Norse settlement. They constructed pastures beside the river for hay to feed their cattle in winter, and terraced the sides of the valley into strip fields to grow barley. There is a tradition, going back centuries, that the hay is never cut until the wild flowers have set their seed. In the later spring, the pastures are a riot of colour. And, yes, it is a magical place !

Pastures at Gunnerside. Look carefully and you might make out the strip fields.
http://i282.photobucket.com/albums/k...unnerside2.jpg

I love that painting! I want a replicate of it! Every single time I look at that picture the song Riders of the Storm pops into my head lol.
The pastures are absolutely beautiful<3

Prints $13

http://www.artsnotdead.com/The-Rider...-p/vd00074.htm

Loads of books on Amazon