Why is Notre Dame Universities football team called the Fighting Irish?

Hello evilloki (cool name!),

Even Notre Dame itself does not know the answer, but it has collected
some theories, such as a supposed 1899 chant by Northwestern fans:
"Kill the Fighting Irish, kill the Fighting Irish".  It has also
compiled a list of other nicknames, including "The Horrible
Hibernians".  (Somehow, I doubt that was an official nickname.)

"The Fighting Irish"
University of Notre Dame
http://und.ocsn.com/trads/nd-m-fb-name.html

"Fighting Irish"
Notre Dame Undergraduate Admissions
http://admissions.nd.edu/CampusCulture/fightingirish.cfm

- justaskscott


Search term used on Google:

"nickname fighting irish"

[I tried other searches as well, but this search led me to the pages I
have cited.]

The following is a little more info:

http://admissions.nd.edu/CampusCulture/fightingirish.cfm

http://groups.google.com/groups?q=%22fighting+irish%22+notre+dame+nickname&hl=en&lr=&ie=UTF-8&selm=361BB128.4831%40nd.edu&rnum=1

http://groups.google.com/groups?q=%22fighting+irish%22+notre+dame+nickname&hl=en&lr=&ie=UTF-8&selm=19981206084406.17321.00002496%40ng37.aol.com&rnum=3

http://groups.google.com/groups?q=%22fighting+irish%22+notre+dame+nickname&hl=en&lr=&ie=UTF-8&selm=3873c25b_2%40news3.prserv.net&rnum=7

Interesting story:

http://www.archives.nd.edu/carey/carey2.htm