Tradition: Welsh Mythology
Alternative Names: Cyhyraeth
Category: Ghost
The Myth
The Cyhyraeth is a ghostly spirit in Welsh mythology that has no visible body. Instead of appearing as a figure, it announces approaching death through a mournful, disembodied voice. Its cries are described as doleful and unpleasant, resembling the groans and sighs of someone suffering from a terrible illness.
The Cyhyraeth is said to sound three times before a person dies. Each cry grows weaker and fainter than the one before it, serving as a threefold warning that death is approaching. Its voice is associated particularly with the region around the River Tywi in eastern Dyfed and the coast of Glamorganshire. Along the Glamorganshire coast, the spirit may be heard before a shipwreck, accompanied by a mysterious corpse-light.
The Cyhyraeth also gives warning when Welsh people are about to die far from their homeland. Even across distant places, its sorrowful cries announce their approaching end. Like the Irish Banshee and the Scottish Cailleach, it is a supernatural harbinger of death, its invisible presence bringing the sound of grief before tragedy strikes.
Sources
“Cyhyraeth.” Wikipedia: The Free Encyclopedia. Wikimedia Foundation. Accessed October 15, 2026. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cyhyraeth