The Associated Press

SOUTH BEND, Ind. - Robert F. O'Brien, the director of Notre Dame's concert and marching bands for more than 30 years, died Tuesday. He was 82.

Mr. O'Brien led the Irish bands from 1952 to 1986 and was credited with establishing many of the school's football day traditions, including the singing of "America the Beautiful" and the reciting of the Preamble of the Constitution during the pregame performance.

He also composed the Victory Clog, a jig the Irish Guard continues to perform after every touchdown.

Mr. O'Brien also broke the band's gender barrier in 1970 by allowing a female student from neighboring St. Mary's College.

"He had invited women into the band two years before Notre Dame invited women onto its campus," said Ken Dye, the current director of bands at Notre Dame.

Barry Keating, a finance professor at Notre Dame who was a clarinet player under Mr. O'Brien while a student at the school in the 1960s, said O'Brien was a father figure to many.

"I think he was probably the person who was the heart and the soul of the Notre Dame band for more than 40 years, and he was probably the person who was most responsible for turning the Notre Dame band into a first-class university band," Keating said.

Mr. O'Brien was a 1947 graduate of Southern Illinois University and received a master's degree from the University of Iowa.

He was a Navy veteran of World War II.

His wife, Catherine, died last year. Survivors include three sons.