The jig The Lilting Banshee is a popular Irish session tune. Though I already play this tune for a while, I actually had no clue what Lilting Banshee is or means. So I did some googling to find out.

So I learned that lilting is a traditional manner of Irish singing. It is light, lively and rhythmic and often accompanied with dancing. It is great to look around a bit on YouTube and listen to some great lilting examples.

Banshee appears to refer to a female spirit in Irish mythology who heralds the death of a family member and is known for her shrieking mourning calls. So the name of the tune is an interesting combination of two things, not making a lot of sense, but this is case for many names of tunes in Irish music.

Anyway, the tune is easy to play on tin whistle or actually any instrument, but seems to be especially popular on mandoline. However, in this great recording from Burning Reels it is played on two violins, banjo and bodhran.

In the sheet music below you can find the notes and chords of The Lilting Banshee.

The Lilting Banshee sheet music, notes and chords