The Fighting Irish is the name of the University of Notre Dame football team, but do you know where the expression comes from?
When we hear the term “the fighting Irish”, we think primarily of the Notre Dame Fighting Irish, the football team of the University of Notre Dame in Indiana, United States.
As a nation with many links to Ireland, it’s no surprise that many of the USA’s sports teams have Irish links, like the Boston Celtics, too.
However, do you know where the term “the fighting Irish” comes from? With links dating back to America’s Civil War, let’s take a look.
The American Civil War – the origins of the phrase
It is widely believed that this term dates back to the American Civil War of 1861–1865. The central cause of the war was the divide between the Confederacy and the Union over the expansion of slavery.
When Abraham Lincoln was appointed President of the United States in 1860, decades of political controversy over slavery were brought to a head.
The four-year war was a battle between the Union, the majority of America’s States, and the Confederacy, which was formed by 11 Southern States in the US.
The Confederacy included Texas, Arkansas, Louisiana, Tennessee, Mississippi, Alabama, Georgia, Florida, South Carolina, North Carolina and Virginia. These Confederate States fought with the desire to protect the institution of slavery.
Now, how exactly did the Irish come into it?
“The fighting Irish” – who were they?
It is widely believed that “the fighting Irish” was a group of Irish immigrants who fought for the Union during the American Civil War.
The Irish soldiers made up what was known as the Irish Brigade, which had five regiments, including three in New York, one in Pennsylvania, and one in Massachusetts. The three New York regiments made up the core of the Irish Brigade.
The 69th New York Infantry, known as the “Fighting 69th”, would go on to fight in later wars. The Brigade was known in part for its famous war cry.
“Faugh a Ballaugh” was the anglicisation of the Irish phrase “fág an bealach”, meaning “clear the way”, and was used in various Irish-majority military units founded due to the Irish diaspora.
The formation of the Irish Brigade was authorised by the Secretary of War, Simon Cameron, in September 1861.
An estimated 20% of the American Union army was made up of Irish-born soldiers. There were said to be around 150,000 Irishmen fighting for the Union side between 1861 and 1865. Of these, around 7,000 of them were members of the Irish Brigade.
The total number of Irishmen who lost their lives during these years was estimated to be somewhere around 30,000, 961 of which were from the Irish Brigade.
The Notre Dame Fighting Irish – does their name come from this Irish Brigade?
The main story from Notre Dame University folklore is that the name of the team comes from these very Irishmen who made up the Irish Brigade during the American Civil War.
This claim appears to come from the fact that Father William Corby, the third president of Notre Dame, served as chaplain of the Irish Brigade and granted general absolution to the soldiers in the middle of the Battle of Gettysburg.
This moment is commemorated in a painting called ‘Absolution Under Fire‘, which is part of Notre Dame’s permanent art collection.
While this appears to be the origin of the ‘Fighting Irish’ nickname, one of its first recorded uses comes from the Notre Dame-Michigan game in 1909.
Sportswriter Edward A. Batchelor wrote in the Detroit Free Press at the time, “Eleven fighting Irishmen wrecked the Yost machine this afternoon.
“These sons of Erin, individually and collectively representing the University of Notre Dame, not only beat the Michigan team, but they dashed some of Michigan’s fondest hopes”.
Controversy and criticism – public scrutiny
Many sports team names in the United States have come under scrutiny in recent years due to being deemed offensive and insensitive, along with claims of cultural appropriation.
For example, the Washington Redskins changed their name to the Washington Commanders due to the name being not only outdated but derogatory towards Native American people.
The Fighting Irish have also come under fire several times for several different reasons. Firstly, many of the team players are not of Irish descent. Secondly, the name appears to reinforce old stereotypes of Irish behaviour.
And finally, the use of a leprechaun as the mascot has drawn ire from the public with claims of cultural appropriation.
