Sham, scan, shaft

biko

Tuam, Milltown and Dunmore.
Does anyone have background info on these nicknames?
Is sham a derogatory term?

Mars Bar

biko wrote: »

Tuam, Milltown and Dunmore.
Does anyone have background info on these nicknames?
Is sham a derogatory term?

Every where but Tuam, sham seems to be a derogatory term. I have no idea how it came about though!

I remember the first time I heard that Galway City kids were using the word sham in the vein that some people would use knacker, I was shocked!

bagels

what about "scobie"?

amiable

biko wrote: »

Tuam, Milltown and Dunmore.
Does anyone have background info on these nicknames?
Is sham a derogatory term?

http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=sham&page=2


A respected member of the community in the urban district of Tuam, County Galway, Ireland. Often confused with the terms chav and knacker

There's also a facebook page on it
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Tuam-Slang-Are-ya-wide-Sham/313518517294

I don't know about its origins but i do know its used in certain parts of Limerick city too

Jamey

'Sham', as well as a lot of Tuam Slang originates in the Gammon and Cant dialects of Irish travellers.

While Tuam natives call each other 'shams' as a friendly term, Travellers see themselves as the true 'shams', and would see non-travellers in Tuam as 'buffers'. However, non-travellers in Tuam (shams) refer to people from outside Tuam in rural areas as 'buffers'.

I once overheard a posh city lad telling his friends he got chased by a group of shams last night. The image in my head of a load of Tuam lads chasing a Galway boy raised a chuckle....though obviously he meant something else.

Also, I mistakingly said 'Sorry, sham' (as I would so often in Tuam), to someone in Galway City who I bumped into, and they were extremely offended, and asked me whether I was from Westside or Castlepark...

skylock

Sham Just means friend,just like the English use the word mate,it is not unique to Travellers.Sham is just a Tuam word,in A thenry some people use the word Horse.All Tuam people are seen as shams,and Travellers whom i know use it as the british would use mate.

Jamey

skylock wrote: »

Sham Just means friend,just like the English use the word mate,it is not unique to Travellers.Sham is just a Tuam word,in A thenry some people use the word Horse.All Tuam people are seen as shams,and Travellers whom i know use it as the british would use mate.

I didn't say it was unique to Travellers, I said it originated with Travellers and now most people in Tuam use it in one way or another.

skylock

I do know about seven Years ago a brother of Frankie Fallon had an article in the Tuam Herald stating that the word came from a film they did see at the Odeon Cinema Tuam.He stated that as far as i recollect that they were the first to use the word in Tuam.I think it would be worth researching

confuseddotcom

Hhmmm I would have been of the impression in general countryside folk are scans although it originated in Milltown and townies are Shams.

Oh actually Buffs, we were buffs in Secondary School. :rolleyes::D ie: any other country-side folk not from Milltown.

Starie1975

bagels wrote: »

what about "scobie"?

I think "Scobie" is a townie slagh term. First heard it in the east side of town - Ballybane/Mervue area.

Ya scobie as in you fool. Correct me if I'm wrong.

saywhatyousee

a sham is a shamrock rovers supporter some where along the way it became an offensive term(probaly cause most shamrock supportes are a bit rough around the edge if you know what i mean:D)
a scobie is a slang term for a subaru
never knew it was a term to describe someone till i went on boards
never heard of shaft