Zahm Gets a Facelift
Rumors abound at Notre Dame, but those about the men of Zahm Hall seem to circulate a bit more frequently and ferociously than most. Maybe it’s because of their refusal to join in the traditional fist pumps that accompany the “Celtic Chant,” their “Kiss the Moose” tradition, or their tendency to run naked in public around finals time. Whatever the source of these raucous rumors, Zahm rector Corry Collona says that they do not reflect reality and that Zahm Hall, in fact, has a strong sense of community.
One recent expression of community building is the new and improved version of their famous dorm banner that reads, “HERE COME THE IRISH.” The banner has hung in front of the dorm every home football weekend for the past seven years and attracts fans across campus, as well as nationwide. The banner is also known among Zahm residents for creating an infamous “Green Glow” indoors when the sun streams from North Quad into the 26 dorm rooms the sign spans.
After an incident involving non-Notre Dame students during the past football season, the banner was badly damaged and subsequently taken down. In response to overwhelming interest in building another banner, a “Bigger, Better Banner Committee” (BBBC) was formed to plan the replacement of this university staple and symbol of Zahm tradition.
The new banner boasts stronger seams and more durable fabric than the original. Zahm’s rector and a Harrisburg, Pa., family completed the banner during spring break. This production was more organized than that of the original banner. According to Collona, the first banner was completed by a group of St. Mary’s students armed with sewing machines. This time, he says, the “sewing team” had the advantage of getting tips from a crafty 79-year-old neighbor.
The painting process was also improved this time around. The Student Activities Office granted Zahm permission to use the Stepan Center overnight to paint the 10-foot tall letters and allow the banner to dry safely. The original banner was painted outside in the St. Joseph High School parking lot, and a student stayed up all night to ensure nothing happened to it.
During a BBBC meeting, some freshmen suggested painting a Zahm “Z” on the sign, but the upperclassmen quickly shot down their request. Collona says, “It’s not about Zahm — it’s more than that. It’s about Notre Dame.”
Zahm donated the damaged sign to alumni, who then repaired it. The banner was resurrected at the nation’s second-largest St. Patrick’s Day parade in Mt. Holyoke, Mass., on Sunday, March 30. The city celebrated the centennial birthday of the Notre Dame Victory March; town natives, brothers and Notre Dame alumni Michael and John Shea composed the fight song in 1908. Zahm’s original banner hung proudly as the University of Massachusetts Minutemen Marching Band honored Notre Dame, the Sheas and Mt. Holyoke by playing “the greatest of all fight songs.”
Zahmbies and others flocked to North Quad on Thursday, April 17, as Zahm Hall unveiled their new and improved “HERE COME THE IRISH” sign in time for the Blue and Gold spring football game. Collona says, “The guys are proud of it, and I am proud of them.”
The whole nation is getting a taste of Zahm’s sweet side. Six hundred thousand visitors saw their old banner in Mt. Holyoke and even more watched on the Internet. Countless visitors to campus request to see “the big sign on the ND applications.” So make sure to join them and go check out the 90-by-30 yard banner next fall. As if you could miss it.
