# Irish: Shebeen



## L'irlandais

Hello,
A little bit off the point, as it's an Irish word, adopted as a loan-word into a language, other than Hiberno-English.
This loan-word has been around for a long time, but with the World cup in South Africa last month, I came across *this BBC article* on the use of _shebeen_ over there for _speakeasy_.   It struck me as odd that an Irish word would be adopted into the language of a country so far off.

Originally from _síbín_ = illicit whiskey, I think.


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## elirlandes

Interesting... Maybe a leftover from MacBride's men... http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Irish_commandos

As you mentioned in the other thread before correctly opening this one, there would have been loads of Irishmen among the redcoats of the British army during the Boer War as well. I for one had a great-grandfather on one side (Boers - with the Foreign Volunteers), and a great-uncle on the other (British - Royal Dublin Fusileers)...


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## L'irlandais

Hi elirlandes,
Excuse the confusion caused by my creating a new thread for this word _à la_ forum rules.


			
				 myself in that deleted post in other thread said:
			
		

> I think you're probaly right.  Do bear in mind though that far more Irishmen fought with the crown forces than ever fought against them in that Victorian era.


One of my great-grandfathers was on the staff of the Royal Irish Fusiliers, stationed in Cavan.  Those he trained would likely as not have served in the second Boer war.


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## Pedro y La Torre

The word seems to be known, perhaps unsurprisingly, throughout Southern Africa.

Merriam-Webster notes it as "chiefly Irish and South African", curiously enough.


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## L'irlandais

Hello again,

According to the Oxford English Dictionary *síbín* means "_a mugful _".  Does anyone know if that's so?


> Also here's the OED definition for Shebeen = unlicensed house selling alcohol.


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