University of Notre Dame Leprechaun

Fighting Irish Leprechauns and Bill The Goat square off before the big game in Ireland

A cute video has surfaced on the USNA Alumni Association and Foundation Youtube channel of an assembly of devious Notre Dame Leprechauns who attempt to stop Navy’s Bill the Goat from delivering the special game ball in a special green army sack marked “Ireland or bust” to the emerald isle for this weekend’s much hyped Notre Dame and Navy match up.

The leprechauns’ wicked trap consisting of a handmade “Welcome to Ireland” sign tricks Bill into believing he has prematurely reached the Ireland. They then deviously steal the golden ball from the beleaguered hairy goat and as per tradition stash it in a pot of gold. Forgetting never to mess with a person (or animal) in this case in the armed forces, Bill finds the not so well hidden ball, retrieves it, and shrugs off the leprechauns who try and tackle him in vain. The Navy mascot prevails over the leprechauns as the Navy Midshipmen hope to do against Notre Dame Ireland on Saturday.

It is ironic that Notre Dame in search of an animal mascot before adopting its current fighting Irishman in 1965 considered using a goat. Notre Dame could have possibly been the “Fighting Goats” and given Bill the Goat a fair fight.