When did "the lads"start to include girls?

17-08-2018 08:28AM #1

When I grew up in Dublin in the 70s we had lads & lasses. Granted lasses was rarely used but lads always meant guys & never included women.

Now lads can mean men & women. Has it always been like this outside of Dublin Or has the meaning of "lads" just become unisex in the last one of two decades?

Try_harder · 17-08-2018 08:29AM

Language evolves.

TheFarrier · 17-08-2018 08:30AM

Don’t you fnucking start...

2 hour blazing row with herself last night because she reckons one of my best mates shouldn’t be because she has a vagina...

grindle · 17-08-2018 08:30AM

Myself and my sister called all of our friends "the lads" when we were in our teens which is 20-25 years ago at this stage so it's been the norm for a long while.

somesoldiers · 17-08-2018 08:34AM

Culchie girls call each other “lads”

Lads are ye going to the gaa training
Lads are ye going to the macra dance
Lads gimme a hand rounding up these weanlings

17-08-2018 08:34AM

grindle wrote: »

Myself and my sister called all of our friends "the lads" when we were in our teens which is 20-25 years ago at this stage so it's been the norm for a long while.

I only noticed myself about 15 years ago. I found it so strange to hear my daughter say to a room full of girls "are ye right lads? Lets go."

PlaneSpeeking · 17-08-2018 08:35AM

TheFarrier wrote: »

Don’t you fnucking start...

2 hour blazing row with herself last night because she reckons one of my best mates shouldn’t be because she has a vagina...

Been there my friend. The best mate's mrs hates me - we've been mates for 20 years!

If I looked like Jenna Jameson she might have a point but these days there's a worrying resemblance to Mary Harney. I don't see the problem!!!!

Well, apart from me looking like Harney but what ya gonna do ?!!

As to the OP - I don't know, I've been going the match with the same group since the late 70s and have been one of the lads since then, so at least 40 years I'd say.

stimpson · 17-08-2018 08:37AM

July 19th.

17-08-2018 08:38AM

PlaneSpeeking wrote: »

Been there my friend. The best mate's mrs hates me - we've been mates for 20 years!

If I looked like Jenna Jameson she might have a point but these days there's a worrying resemblance to Mary Harney. I don't see the problem!!!!

Well, apart from me looking like Harney but what ya gonna do ?!!

As to the OP - I don't know, I've been going the match with the same group since the late 70s and have been one of the lads since then, so at least 40 years I'd say.

I wonder if it was a country thing that's crept into Dublin in the last 20 years or so

17-08-2018 08:39AM

stimpson wrote: »

July 19th.

You got a year?

17-08-2018 09:01AM

somesoldiers wrote: »

Culchie girls call each other “lads”

Lads are ye going to the gaa training
Lads are ye going to the macra dance
Lads gimme a hand rounding up these weanlings

*Leds

whisky_galore · 17-08-2018 09:11AM

In Italy they say 'ragazzi' (strictly boys/guys) but like a general shout out to everyone. So it's not an Irish or even an Anglophone thing.

Berserker · 17-08-2018 09:15AM

TheFarrier wrote: »

Don’t you fnucking start...

2 hour blazing row with herself last night because she reckons one of my best mates shouldn’t be because she has a vagina...

Did the best mate in question have a penis in the past?

fryup · 17-08-2018 09:50AM

when they started wearing trousers

D3V!L · 17-08-2018 09:51AM

fryup wrote: »

when they started wearing trousers

Next thing you know they'll be looking to vote and drive cars !! :eek:

Obvious Desperate Breakfasts · 17-08-2018 09:55AM

I’m from the West and lived in Dublin before moving to Cork a few years back. Cork was the first place I heard women refer to each other as ‘lads’. I was a bit startled, so I was.

stimpson · 17-08-2018 10:10AM

Sleeper12 wrote: »

You got a year?

It was the same year Marathon became Snickers.

Beta Ray Bill · 17-08-2018 10:12AM

TheFarrier wrote: »

Don’t you fnucking start...

2 hour blazing row with herself last night because she reckons one of my best mates shouldn’t be because she has a vagina...

Get rid of her now (herself not your mate)

Unless you have kids, my advice is to get rid of her now.
Most women, despite all their talk about helping and respecting other women are don't trust other women around their men.

This row you've had with her will be a reoccurring event in your relationship.

Get Rid.

antodeco · 17-08-2018 10:15AM

TheFarrier wrote: »

Don’t you fnucking start...

2 hour blazing row with herself last night because she reckons one of my best mates shouldn’t be because she has a vagina...

Does she keep in the kitchen press or where? That must be fairly difficult to move around

OldGoat · 17-08-2018 10:17AM

Sleeper12 wrote: »

When I grew up in Dublin in the 70s we had lads & lasses. Granted lasses was rarely used but lads always meant guys & never included women.

Now lads can mean men & women. Has it always been like this outside of Dublin Or has the meaning of "lads" just become unisex in the last one of two decades?

Lads was appropriated around the same time they took the words :guys, dudes, fellas.
Retaliate by calling yer men friends babe, gurl or doll.

silverharp · 17-08-2018 10:18AM

the one that i find odd is waitresses addressing a couple or a family as "guys"

gozunda · 17-08-2018 10:21AM

somesoldiers wrote: »

Culchie * Non jackeen girls call each other “lads”

Lads are ye going to the gaa training
Lads are ye going to the macra dance
Lads gimme a hand rounding up these weanlings

*Fixed that for you...

Tipperary animal lover · 17-08-2018 10:24AM

In Tipperary everyone uses lads for either male female or both groups together since I remember, add in the hello we use down here and ya get WELL LADS, used to get fair quare looks off of people when I moved to cork first ... ..

Agricola · 17-08-2018 10:27AM

Ah come on now lads, settle down there now, settle down there now fairly lively lads

Faith+1 · 17-08-2018 10:32AM

D3V!L wrote: »

Next thing you know they'll be looking to vote and drive cars !! :eek:

Don't encourage them!

17-08-2018 10:37AM

stimpson wrote:

It was the same year Marathon became Snickers.

It'll always be a marathon bar to me

Edgware · 17-08-2018 12:44PM

Sleeper12 wrote: »

It'll always be a marathon bar to me

And if you mess up the sink wipe it with Jif

WinnyThePoo · 17-08-2018 12:45PM

Outlaw Pete · 17-08-2018 12:49PM

Was a country thing first as Kerry girl I had a summer fling with back in the late 80's used to call her friends lads and when she said it around us Dublin folk we thought it was weird and so pointed at her and laughed.

Hear many Dub women saying it now though.

chosen1 · 17-08-2018 12:51PM

Obvious Desperate Breakfasts wrote: »

I’m from the West and lived in Dublin before moving to Cork a few years back. Cork was the first place I heard women refer to each other as ‘lads’. I was a bit startled, so I was.

Similar here. Grew up in the Midlands and encountered it first when I went to college. Mainly from Clare women in the form of 'Leds'

hatrickpatrick · 17-08-2018 12:54PM

I'd argue it started when girls and women began to throw off the shackles of the gender roles which prevented them from living life for the craic like lads. Most people of my parents' generation comment on how women my age are more laid back and casual about life in general than in their day, usually with a certain amount of derision particularly when it comes to sexuality and not wanting to have kids or get married.

Personally I just use the phrase "the crew" to talk about groups of mates these days, but that's purely personal preference.

When did "the lads"start to include girls?

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