Green’s Dictionary of Slang

by God! esp. as the generic expletive of the supposedly ‘typical’ Irishman; also attrib. to stereotyped Frenchman (see cites 1690, 1761) and occas. other speakers .

1650		Páirlement Chloinne Tomáis: ‘Adubhairt Roibín n.p.: ‘I thanke you, honest Thomas, you shall command all my tobaco.’ ‘Begog, I thanke you,’ ar Tomás [BS].
1672		J. Lacy Old Troop V i: Begar, wou’d a good rope wou’d slip away you too.
1690		‘Teague’ Teagueland Jests II 148: No begar (said the Frenchman) we did never hear of an Irish Saint.
1761		Nancy Dawson’s Jests 5: Begar, ver good, said the Frenchman.
1831		Mr Mathews’ Comic Annual 7: Begar! here’s Monsier Tonson come again!
1834		Belfast News Ltr 4 Feb. 4/1: Why, be gorra, I seen Andy Murtagh there givin’ him the lick [...] that kilt him.
1839		C.J. Lever Harry Lorrequer 108: ‘Be gorra, I’ll do my endayvour,’ said the youth.
1840		West Kent Guardian 4 July 6/3: Oh, begor, you may say that, says I.
1844		C.J. Lever Tom Burke of ‘Ours’ II 245: It was Mr. Curran made a hare of yer honor that day. Begorra! – I wonder ye ever held up yer head after. [Ibid.] 246: There it is, by gorra.
1852		Kalida Venture (OH) 22 Oct. 1/4: Then, as people saw that the mare was taking her jumps easily [...] one might hear such exclamations as [...] ‘Begor, Little Ginger will have the day!’.
1859		H. Kingsley Recollections of G. Hamlyn (1891) 378: ‘Begorra (that’s a Scotch expression, Miss Brentwood, but very forcible),’ said Captain Desborough.
1864		in R.G. Carter Four Brothers in Blue (1978) 25 May 411: Well, begorra.
1867		‘A Pair of Irish Janus’s’ Champagne Charley Songster 46: barney: ’Pon my sowl , I’m glad to meet ye. pat: By gob! you may say that. [Ibid.] ‘Oh, Fair Maid of Passage’ 63: Or, begorra, I’ll die / Like a pig in a stye.
1873		J. O’Connor Wanderings of a Vagabond 98: ‘If you don’t open the door, I’ll burst it open.’ ‘Begorra, ye’d betther not, if ye’re wise,’ shouted Dougherty.
1874		‘Old Calabar’ Won in a Canter I 75: ‘Begorra, he’ll do as he likes entirely’.
1879		C.J. Kickham Knocknagow 16: Be gob, Mr. Willie, I’ll – I’ll show you a thrish’s nist! [Ibid.] 93: An’ begor, there was no fear at all of the fortune they wor givin’ her.
1879		H. Hartigan Stray Leaves (2nd ser.) 3: Be gorra some of them got the same complaints in the cells or in places of worse reputation.
1885		Bulletin (Sydney) 25 Apr. 5/3: Tim’s answer was a poser. ‘Well, lower me up a bit first; yez don’t know me temper, yez don’t; and, be gorrah, if yez don’t lower me up at onst, I’ll out wi’ me knife and cut the rope on yez, I will.’.
1888		A. Trumble Mott Street Poker Club 27: ‘Begobs!’ ejaculated Finnegan.
1888–94		‘Walter’ My Secret Life (1966) VIII 1648: Fuck it well — begorra! your prick’s red hot — it’s big.
1890		Bird o’ Freedom 1 Jan. 1/1: ‘And what did you think of it in London?’ ‘Begorrah!’ came the reply, Pat—‘I thought the orchestra was bally wake!’.
1892		H. Lawson ‘The Lay-’Em-Out Brigade’ in Roderick (1967–9) I 186: The milingtary spirit! whoop! A pretty day, b’ gob!
1896		Regiment 4 July 211/3: ‘Begor,’ says Pat, ‘sure I'll wait till after the trial, and if yez convict me, why, I'll challenge every mother’s son of ye’.
1898		Binstead & Wells Pink ’Un and Pelican 106: ‘Is it begobs!’ exclaimed Jim. ‘Then, if he kicks me in the mouth O’ill bite him in the — ’.
1900		Marvel XIII:322 Jan. 6: Begorra, it’s niver a bit plainer.
1904		G.B. Shaw John Bull’s Other Island Act III: Dhats the style, begob!
1904		Sydney Sportsman (Surry Hills, NSW) 20 July 3/5: ‘That red-headed slut [...] Sure ye shifted hur drawers wanst, and begorra ye've bin shiftin ’em ever since, ye blag-a-a-rd ye!’.
1905		Sporting Times 18 Feb. 1/3: ‘I hear you generally let yourself go last night, and, to tell the truth, you look it.’ ‘Begorrah! I did, yer honour.’.
1906		C. M’Govern Sarjint Larry an’ Frinds 11: So, be gobs, Oi makes up me mind to come up here and buy a steamboat.
1907		Gem 16 Mar. 2: Begobs, but we’re shifting now!
1910		Ottumwa Tri-Weekly (IA) 27 Aug. 5: Begarries, Bill, come here.
1911		G. Stratton-Porter Harvester 105: Begorry! The very idea!
1911		J. Masefield Everlasting Mercy 38: And this is Sodom and Gomorrah, / And now I’ll burn you up, begorra.
1913		A. Irvine My Lady of the Chimney Corner 123: I’m bate! [...] an’ begobs if I wor St. Peether I’d kape ye outside th’ gate till ye tuk it out agin!
1920		F.L. Packard ‘Never Again’ in Top-Notch 15 Jan. 🌐 Cut down operatin’ expinses, is ut? [...] Begorra, I’ll begin right now!
1922		Joyce Ulysses 285: So anyhow Terry brought the three pints Joe was standing and begob the sight nearly left my eyes when I saw him land out a quid.
1925		Dos Passos Manhattan Transfer 225: Before the blowup comes there’ll be an opportunity . . . . Well begorry dont you forget it.
1934		Wodehouse Right Ho, Jeeves 114: The more he tried to jab, the more I said ‘Hoots, mon’, ‘Begorrah’, and ‘Oy, oy’.
1937		E. Raymond Marsh 395: Does he, begob!
1939		‘Flann O’Brien’ At Swim-Two-Birds 109: Oh by Gorrah you can’t cod me.
1939		K. Tennant Foveaux 266: ‘I don’t know whether to lumber the beggars or knock ’em,’ he yelled. ‘Begorra I’ll knock ’em.’.
1943		‘Myles na gCopaleen’ Faustus Kelly in ‘Flann O’Brien’ Stories & Plays (1973) 162: Begor, I wouldn’t put it past Reilly.
1945		‘Henry Green’ Loving (1978) 62: Lucky Charley they call me, begorrah.
1949		Wodehouse Mating Season 47: Faith and begob, that was no lady, that was my wife.
1950		S. Murphy Stone Mad (1966) 74: Begor, you have him dead an’ buried already, Gargoyle.
1951		Green & Laurie Show Biz from Vaude to Video 7: Irish characters [...] never spoke without saying ‘begorra’.
1953		L. Doyle Back to Ballygullion 145: Oh, Cleopatra, begob! sez I to myself.
1969		T. Murphy Crucial Week in the Life of a Grocer’s Assistant (1978) Scene v: Begobs says I to myself, the haemorroids must be in a state of turmoil.
1976		P. O’Farrell Book of Irish Soldiers’ Jokes 36: Begor, your girl must be strong.
1985		T. Murphy Conversations on a Homecoming (1986) 27: Begobs I haven’t.
1986		S. King It (1987) 706: Sure and begorrah, it’s that black feller again!
1989		H. Leonard Out After Dark 45: Twelve? Begob, that’s a great age.
1990		(con. early 1950s) J. Ellroy L.A. Confidential 453: Grand. Begorra, lad.
1995		A. Higgins Donkey’s Years 96: Begob she loves it.
1999		Guardian Guide 3–9 July 89: The air is thick with begorrahs.
2000		Guardian G2 10 Jan. 3: Begob! You’re as bad as he is.
2001		G. Coughlan Everyday Eng. and Sl. 🌐 Begorrah (exclam): be god (no self-respecting Irish person says this. Sorry, Hollywood) Bejappers (exclam): as above.