With St. Patrick’s Day just around the corner, everyone is thinking a little on the Irish side. Clovers are hanging in store windows, the color green is almost everywhere you look and Deadwood is preparing for their annual Pub Crawl.

However, there is one more Irish influence in the area that you may have not heard of before. This would be the story of the Banshee of the Badlands.

Never heard of a Banshee before? Well, this is basically an Irish name for a female ghost known for its horrendous shriek. According to Irish myth, the Banshee would appear to warn members of certain Irish families of their upcoming deaths. This is rumored to have happened to King James I of Scotland in 1437.

So, of all places for a disturbed Irish fairy, why the Badlands of South Dakota? Many people believe that a woman died near a butte called Watch Dog, and since then, had been reported to appear to immigrants, hunters, cowboys and war parties passing through the area.

Before you get the idea for any St. Patrick’s Day ghost hunting, keep in mind, the Badlands are a very sacred place to the Native American culture. The Badlands are a beautiful area with a unique history, which should be respected.

For more info on the myth of Banshee of the Badlands, and the Badlands themselves, take a look at the sites below:

Legends of America
Badlands National Park