The Mudcat Café TM
Thread #163413 Message #3899581
Posted By: Lighter
14-Jan-18 - 10:47 AM
Thread Name: Origins: Seventeen Come Sunday/Waukrife Mammy
Subject: RE: Origins: Seventeen Come Sunday/Waukrife Mammy
The English Dialect Dictionary (ca1900) defines "sketch" as a Co. Antrim term for "knack."
This meaning seems to fit the sense of the song (the singer does have a "knack" for getting next to young women), but it seems to have had a very limited distribution.
Lacking further evidence, I'd suggest it only as the best of various poor choices.