Banshees and Robert Cuninghame, 1801

The Right Honorable Robert Cuninghame, 1st Baron Rossmore, was born 18 April 1726, and died 6 August 1801. He was the son of Col. David Cuninghame of Seabegs, Stirlingshire and Margaret, daughter of John Callander of Stirlingshire. Robert was a direct descendant of Sir Humphrey Colquhoun, 10th of Colquhoun, 12th of Luss (1440-1493) and also of Sir John Cuninghame of Drumquhassil (b. c1511).

The following story is from Biographies of the Members of the Irish Parliament 1692-1800 (2002):

Bunworth Banshee, Fairy Legends and Traditions of
the South of Ireland by Thomas Crofton Croker, 1825.

He was nicknamed 'Roby' by Lord Shannon (0213). The Rossmores are alleged to be followed by a banshee: her terrible wailing was first heard in 1801 when the first baron lay dying. Lord Rossmore lived in some style at Mount Kennedy, and enjoyed giving house parties. Sir Jonah and Lady Barrington lived nearby and appear to have been frequent guests. On this occasion they retired at about midnight and slept soundly until two o'clock in the morning, when Sir Jonah was awakened by a wild and unearthly cry, which he described as 'not a natural sound'. He lost no time in rousing his wife, and the scared couple got up and opened the window, which looked over the grass plot beneath. It was a moonlight night and the objects around the house were easily discernible, but there was nothing to be seen in the direction whence the eerie sound proceeded. Now thoroughly frightened, Lady Barrington called her maid, who straight away would not listen or look and fled in terror 'to the servants' quarters. The uncanny noise continued for about half an hour, when it suddenly ceased. All at once a distinct exclamation "Rossmore, Rossmore, Rossmore" was heard and then all was still. The Barringtons looked at each other in dismay, and were utterly bewildered as to what the cry could mean. They decided however, not to mention the incident at Mount Kennedy and returned to bed in the hope of resuming their broken slumbers. They were not left long undisturbed, for at seven o'clock they were awakened by a loud knocking at the bedroom door, and Sir Jonah's servant, Lawler, entered the room, his face white with terror. "Oh, Lord Sir!", "What's the matter?" said I [Sir Jonah] hurriedly "Is anyone dead?" "Oh Sir," answered the man, "Lord Rossmore's footman has just gone by in great haste, and he told me that my Lord, after coming from the Castle, had gone to bed in perfect health but that about half-after two this morning, his own man hearing a noise in his master's bed (he slept in the same room) went to him and found him in the agonies of death, and before he could alarm the other servants all was over!" The banshee, it is said, still follows the family' - presumably the Westenras, as the barony was remaindered to the children of the sisters of Lady Rossmore in succession. The Murray sisters were through their mother, Mary Cairnes, the ultimate heirs of Sir Alexander Cairnes (0334).