Notre Dame University’s men’s hockey program has issued an apology for a now-deleted tweet advising fans not to wear green or Irish symbols around town when they play games in Belfast, Northern Ireland, later this month.
The tweet was both posted and deleted on Tuesday, November 19, ahead of the Fighting Irish’s games in the Friendship Four tournament at the SSE Arena in Belfast coming up on November 29 and 30. According to screenshots taken before it was deleted, the post advised fans not to wear green or anything with shamrocks, the Ireland flag, leprechauns, or the words “Irish” or “Fighting Irish” in Northern Ireland capital as they may be “deemed offensive.”
Weirdly, though, Notre Dame’s own special jerseys for the tournament — which were unveiled on November 6 — are emblazoned with a script “Irish” logo on the front, with a shamrock dotting the second I.
The tweet advised Notre Dame fans to instead wear the school colors of navy and gold and items with the school’s “ND” monogram.
The program was lambasted in the replies to the original tweet, with some users calling it “embarrassing.” “My kids have travelled all over Ireland in all the gear you say not to wear and received nothing but love,” the Belfast Telegraph reports one replier as saying. “As a Notre Dame graduate married to an Irish woman this is embarrassing and you should take down the post immediately.”
Another user quoted by the Telegraph said: “This tweet is more offensive than any American university t-shirt abroad ever would be. If the fans of the Fighting Irish should be made to feel embarrassed of their programme, then don’t schedule the trip.”
Notre Dame Hockey took down the post, then posted an apology a little while later:
This year’s edition of the Friendship Four tournament also includes teams from Boston University, Merrimack College and Harvard University. It’s currently the only NCAA hockey tournament held outside the United States, and the winners receive the Belpot Trophy. This year is the first time Notre Dame has participated. Previous editions of the tournament were held from 2015 to 2019 and in 2022.
Notre Dame’s special jerseys for the tournament are navy blue with the gold “Irish” script on the front. A logo on the shoulders combines a Celtic knot with hockey sticks and faceoff circles. The numbers on the sleeves and back also incorporate the Notre Dame Celtic knot and, along with the nameplate font, are inspired by illustrations in the Book of Kells.
