“Notre Dame Victory March” is considered the greatest of all university fight songs. It may be surprising for us to learn, however, that it was written by one of our own, Father Michael J. Given what we know about the Catholic culture of this university’s football team, we should not be surprised to know that the music to the famous song was written by a priest. Perhaps the most iconic element of Notre Dame athletics is its fight song, “Notre Dame Victory March.” It is, without a doubt, the most recognizable collegiate fight song in the nation. Father O’Malley, played by Crosby, notices a commotion being made outside the rectory and asks: “What’s all the excitement? Did Notre Dame win another one?”Īs the college football season unfolds, it’s as good a time as any to recall a very interesting connection between this iconic football program and our own Archdiocese of New York. Mary’s,” the highest-grossing film of 1945, starring Bing Crosby and Ingrid Bergman. The Fighting Irish football team has a palpable Catholic culture-the famous mural of Christ as the Word of Life on the facade of the university library nicknamed “Touchdown Jesus” looms over the stadium, a priest-chaplain can always be seen on the sidelines, and game days on campus begin with the Rosary and end with Mass.Īn example of the invested interest the wider American Catholic culture has in Notre Dame football comes from a charming scene in “The Bells of St. The University of Notre Dame has one of the most successful and popular programs in college football. ^ "Notre Dame to include 'daughters' in victory song".^ "Notre Dame commemorates 50th anniversary of admission of undergraduate women with redesigned campus entry circle, change to lyrics in renowned fight song".Archived from the original on September 15, 2019. 'Brother,' he said, 'you've got something there'" One deacon had a remark to make when the recital was finished. They were not a little shocked to see a man wearing a Roman collar energetically thumping away on the keys of their organ. ^ "SI.com - SI On Campus - The Vent: Who's Got the Best Fight Song?".^ "Irish fight song deemed better than M's 'Victors' ".The second verse had "daughters" added in recognition of the university's female students: The lyrics to the Victory March were modified in June 2022 to mark Notre Dame's 50th anniversary of undergraduate coeducation. Casasanta was evidently the realization of our hopes, and to him I express my hearty appreciation of a good work admirably done for the best University in the land." Michael Shea praised Casasanta's arrangement, remarking that "the coming of Mr. Joseph Casasanta, the University of Notre Dame's Director of Bands from 1923 to 1942, wrote an arrangement of the Victory March which became "the basis for what the Marching Band and Glee Club still perform today." The original composers, John and Michael Shea, believed their composition to be "amateurish" and hoped it would be improved upon. The lyrics were revised in the 1920s Notre Dame Victory March first appeared under the copyright of the University of Notre Dame in 1928. “The song made a decided hit in the hall and at dinner, where it was also given,” The Tribune reported. The tune was sung by the Notre Dame Glee Club, accompanied by the University orchestra. "New Notre Dame Song Making Hit, Shea Production Sung First Time at President’s Exercises,” the newspaper headline announced. However, the song made its debut on the Notre Dame campus on Decemin Washington Hall at an event honoring the University president, the South Bend Tribune reported on the front page in the next day's issue. Many books and other sources have erroneously reported that the song was first performed on Notre Dame's campus on Easter Sunday, 1909, in the rotunda of the Main Building. Hammond of Mount Holyoke College, Michael Shea would first perform the song publicly on the organ of the Second Congregational Church of Holyoke, Massachusetts, where Hammond was music director, soon after completing the composition with his brother in the winter of 1908. At the behest of his former music teacher, Professor William C. Both of the Shea brothers were alumni at Notre Dame, with Michael graduating in 1905 and John earning degrees there in 19. Michael wrote the music while John served as the original lyricist. The Notre Dame Victory March was originally created by Michael J.
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