beat Banaghan

English

Etymology

The Classic 1811 Dictionary of the Vulgar Tongue speculates "perhaps Banaghan was a minstrel famous for dealing in the marvellous."

Verb

beat Banaghan (third-person singular simple present beats Banaghan, present participle beating Banaghan, simple past beat Banaghan, past participle beaten Banaghan)

1. (idiomatic, Ireland) To tell wonderful stories, or something which is amazing and remarkable.
   • 1837, William Harrison Ainsworth, Rookwood (Revised) [1], page 147:

     "'Jack Palmer, as I'm a sinner,' cried Titus. 'Why this beats Banaghan. Arrah ! Jack, honey, what does this mean ? Is it yourself I see in such company?'"

   • 1875, F.J. Hall, Conquered at Last‎^[2], page 325:

     "He watched her as she slowly disappeared, and shook his head with a puzzled air. ¶'This beats Banaghan, and he beats --'"

   • 1988, Maureen O'Donoghue, Winner‎^[3], page 178:

     "'So you see, it was a gallimaufry of a mess until you appeared.' ¶ 'Beats Banaghan,' agreed the boy."

   • 2004, David Kales, The Phantom Pirate: Tales of the Irish Mafia and the Boston Harbor Islands‎^[4], →ISBN, page 2:

     "Whenever he can find an audience, Doherty will spin some tale of local history or ancestral lineage in that inimitable Irish blend of fact and blarney. 'He beats Banaghan,' as the Irish saying goes of one who tells wonderful stories."

References

[Francis] Grose [et al.] (1811) “Beat Banaghan”, in Lexicon Balatronicum. A Dictionary of Buckish Slang, University Wit, and Pickpocket Eloquence. […], London: […] C. Chappell, […], →OCLC.