The Notre Dame ‘Fighting Irish’ leprechaun is a ‘stomach-turning’ piece of Paddywhackery, Lunchtime Live has heard.

The US college football team is coming to Dublin this weekend to face off against Navy in the Aviva stadium.

The Aer Lingus College Football Classic will see an influx of US tourists and American Football fans to the capital – with organisers expecting over 40,000 to arrive in from abroad.

The match is fully sold out, with Fáilte Ireland estimating the fixture will pump around €147 million into the local economy.

Not everyone is happy, however, and the fixture has reignited debate about Notre Dame’s ‘Fighting Irish’ nickname and iconic leprechaun logo.

On Lunchtime Live this afternoon, caller Margaret explained why she finds it offensive.

“I think we’ve gone way past that Paddywhackery for goodness’ sake,” she said.

“I mean you talk about the American Football team – they can’t even pronounce their blooming name properly.”

Notre Dame Fighting Irish satin starter jacket. Image: B Christopher / Alamy

On the team’s leprechaun logo Margaret said: “God Almighty, the cringe factor.”

“We are gone way, way past that in this country,” she said.

“I don’t think my children or my grandchildren would know what they are even talking about and it’s peculiarly an American thing.

“I think it is a Hollywood thing; it’s the Darby O’Gill syndrome. The only time you would see a leprechaun in Ireland is when somebody acts the dope and gets up on a float in a St Patrick’s Day parade.

“We’re gone way past that. We’re gone past the pigs in the parlour, the corned beef and cabbage – I have never eaten corned beef and cabbage in my life.

“This is the notion that some of the American’s have. For example, when they got off the plane, they kneel down and kiss the ground. I mean can you think of anything more cringeworthy than that?”

Notre Dame players pose after the final whistle of their NCAA college football game against Navy, in Dublin, 01-09-2012. Image: AP Photo/Peter Morrison

The next caller Neil had a different take on things.

“I love a stereotype,” he said. “I think it is brilliant – and stereotypes don’t fall off trees, unfortunately.”

“The Fighting Irish is connected to this idea that, maybe we like a beverage or two at breakfast time. You know, it’s all connected.

“At the end of the day, it is Americans coming in and spending their money – that’s great. They can begorrah begosh it up wherever they want. Spend their money.”

The Notre Dame leprechaun waves the Notre Dame flag prior to the game against Michigan, 06-09-2014. Image: Frank Jansky/ZUMA

Neil said he recently spent time in Killarney, where he met a lot of American tourists.

“It was full of Americans trying to find their relatives - their long-lost relatives, ‘have you seen a leprechaun?’ All that sort of stuff,” he said.

“You know, go on, buy another pint, spend more money – it is all good. It does nobody any harm.

“If a stereotype or a leprechaun is what people are annoyed about, I would really love if that was the only thing I was worried about.”

Margaret agreed that the stereotype can benefit tourism but questioned who is having the last laugh.

“It so happens we were in the US a couple of years ago, around the time of St Patrick’s Weekend coincidentally,” she said.

“God, it was stomach-turning when you walk around the neighbourhoods and see the leprechauns lit up in their front gardens and the shamrocks.

“It only happens in America.”

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