The time honored position of school Leprechaun has officially been transferred to a new team of spirited leaders: Juniors Dana Hyde and Mary Murphy. The Leprechauns made their debut during the intramural basketball assembly on April 18, and they are eager to take on their new roles. Murphy said, “We’re going to bring hype to the whole school.”
The application process to be a Leprechaun was simple: demonstrate school spirit worthy of representing the Fighting Irish in a short video. Hyde said, “I wanted to be the Leprechaun because I feel like I have a great personality that fits with it. I think I have the energy for it,” he continued, “When I was a freshman, and I saw Will Mayer (‘22), it made me want to be one.”
Murphy similarly explained that her unapologetic school spirit is a major factor behind wanting to be a Leprechaun. She said, “I have a lot of school spirit, and I like showing it off. I feel like that’s what being a Leprechaun is all about.”
Along with new Leprechauns comes new plans to effectively lead the “Irish Nightmare” student section throughout the 2024-25 school year. A potential shock to many, given its allure on the Hill the past three years, Murphy said, “We’re moving away from the (Zone 8) Banner because it’s only for football. Our whole big goal is to keep the spirit running, not just for football, but through every sport that we attend.” Hyde explained that their main goal is to have “bigger attendance” at all sporting events.
The Leprechauns hope to accomplish this goal through creating a Spirit Committee. The committee will include representatives from each grade who will assist in leading the student section. This will, as Murphy said, “Bring some school hype from not just us, but from the whole school.” In addition to the Spirit Committee, Hyde and Murphy hope to introduce new cheers and publish weekly themes beforehand to increase participation among fans.
As they lead these chants, the Leprechauns will don outfits which elevate the iconic status of the mascot. Murphy plans to wear green overalls along with a leprechaun jacket and green shoes, while Hyde will wear a completely customized outfit with leprechaun spirit head to toe.
Hyde warned, “If you’re not cheering, you’re going to be called out,” and Murphy added, “Everyone needs to get into school spirit for next year—we’re not messing around.”
