An Banshenchas is framed in a historical context and starts with
Eve and other
biblical women, moves to the legendary women of
Irish mythology such as
Étaín and
Emer, then completes with later-day characters who are almost certainly historical, including a few women of the
Hiberno-Norse aristocracy. The references to each of the characters within are short; a few lines at most. For example, in regard to some early biblical figures:
Adam,
Seth, pious Sili and
Cain were the four first men who propagated multitudes. Eve, Olla, Pib and Pithib (women of power in the eternal world) bore the beautiful race: prosperous before
the Flood and miserable afterwards. Eve was the only wife of mighty Adam. Olla was spouse of blameless Seth. Pib was the name of the wife of guilty Cain. She did not avoid evil. Pithib was wife of Sili of the prophets. Whiter than foam was her body. Or regarding some of the legendary women of Ireland: Etain was wife of
Eochu Aireman, Esa was her daughter, evil were her rites. Her name is given to a lofty spot, allied by her crimes to pollution.
Mes Buachalla was Esa's daughter. By her methods mariners were coarsened. The stories of some of these women are known from other sources, ranging from the
Book of Genesis, to the
Wooing of Etain to other, less-well known sources. Some of the names within
An Banshenchas are today just names that hint at stories that are long-lost but were known to Ó Caiside and his contemporaries. ==Manuscripts==