GUBU

See also: gubu

English

Etymology

An acronym for grotesque, unprecedented, bizarre, unbelievable, all words used by Taoiseach Charles Haughey to describe the discovery of a murderer as a guest in the house of Patrick Connolly, Attorney General of Ireland in 1982.

Noun

GUBU (plural GUBUs)

1. (Ireland, politics) A political scandal.
   • 1989, Fortnight:

     The problem for the taoiseach is that he is increasingly being called on to defend his administration as the GUBUs loom before it.

   • 2006, Gerry O'Carroll, The Sheriff: A Detective's Story, Mainstream Publishing Company:

     In one handwritten memo, the writer refers to the Garda report in a scathing and sarcastic manner and calls it 'a hysterical attempt to cover up a GUBU'.

   • 2013, John Horgan, Great Irish Reportage, Penguin UK, →ISBN:

     The GUBU had been a GUBU alright, no doubt about that, but Mr Haughey was there and the GUBU was taken care of […]