“That Beats Banagher!” with Historian James Scully & Horse Racing’s Mark Boylan
The Irish Midlands flow to the relentless rhythm of the River Shannon and along its banks the Irish Stew podcasters found themselves again, Day Five of their “Off the Beaten Craic in the Hidden Heartlands” wanderings, gazing across its broad expanse from the docks of the County Offaly town of Banagher.
There, cohosts John Lee and Martin Nutty met local historian James Scully and caught up with an old friend of John’s, Mark Boylan, who covers horseracing for The Irish Field, to explore the history, legend, music, and all that gives life and character to this small Shannon-side community with a population aspiring to hit the 2,000 mark.
James met us at the cozy, convivial Flynn's Pub on Main Street, but the craic there proved too mighty for recording purposes, so the trio beat a retreat to the hilltop Church of St Paul's for what proved to be Irish Stew’s first recording in a church (but not their last as you’ll hear in the final Hidden Heartlands episode).
A lifelong educator and noted local historian, James set about unraveling the history of the old Irish saying, “That Beats Banagher!,” in a book of the same name which he co-wrote with Kieran Keenaghan. In this richly illustrated volume they explore the murky provenance of “That Beats Banagher!” and how it entered Irish political and cultural lore. A beguiling spinner of the town’s stories, James shares tales of the earliest days of the town, the arrival of the international man of mystery from the 1600s Matthew de Renzy, the town’s unexpected literary links to Anthony Trollope and Charlotte Brontë, Banagher’s vibrant community life, and its status as a popular port of call for the river cruising crowd.
They started the day in a pub, absolved their sins in a church, and then retreated to a pub, J.J. Hough’s Singing Pub, a renowned destination for trad music fans and tourists alike run by Ger Hough, who IrishCentral called the most creative publican in Ireland.
There they met David and Mark Boylan who John got to know when the Breeders’ Cup flew the whole Boylan family to Kentucky so the then 14-year-old Mark could sing his Breeders’ Cup song before about 80 thousand fans at Churchill Downs for the 2011 World Championship race meet. Mark may be all grown up but he hasn’t outgrown his love of horses and of his hometown of Banagher which shines through in the closing segment.
Left to Right: John Lee, Mark Boylan, Dave Boylan, Martin Nutty - outside J.J. Hough's pub in Banagher
And in such a small, tight-knit community it was no surprise to learn that James was Mark’s teacher at St Rynagh’s School.
Well, that beats Banagher!
Next week Irish Stew hits pause on their Off the Beaten Craic series to embrace the season of giving with the story of a New York City charity rooted in the plight of the impoverished Irish immigrants in the notorious Five Points district in our conversation with Sean Granahan, president of The Floating Hospital.
Links
James Scully
- Book: That Beats Banagher!
Mark Boylan
Hidden Heartlands Travel Resources
Irish Stew Links
Episode Details: Season 7, Episode 36; Total Episode Count: 139
00:00 - Introduction
02:12 - What’s in a Name?
09:07 - That Beats Banagher - Origin of the Phrase
12:54 - Anthony Trollope
21:39 - Charlotte Bronte's Honeymoon
31:25 - Present Day Banagher
35:31 - Mark Boylan at J.J. Houghs Singing Pub
44:50 - John & Martin Recap
46:56 - Credits
Historian / Author
James Scully is a retired primary school teacher and respected local historian from Banagher, County Offaly, who taught for decades at St Rynagh’s and has long been active in documenting the town’s heritage. A prolific researcher and writer on Banagher and Offaly history, he has produced work on subjects ranging from graveyards and local place-names to canal and waterways heritage, often in collaboration with local historical organizations.
A gifted communicator, he has a fondness for writers with an eye to the topographical context such as Joyce, Flann O’Brien, Trollope and the Brontes.
He is coauthor with Kieran Keenaghan of the recent local history volume That Beats Banagher! a book on the people and stories of the town that has attracted coverage and review pieces in multiple Irish media outlets.
Mark Boylan is a racing journalist who first came to prominence as a teenager for original songs inspired by his love of horse racing. As a 14-year-old, the Banagher native gained international attention when he performed his song about the Breeders’ Cup during the 2011 World Championships in the United States, having first shared the piece online from his home in County Offaly. Alongside his musical work, he has built a career in racing media and is now a horse racing journalist best known for his reporting and analysis with The Irish Field, following earlier roles with other specialist racing outlets.
