1951 All-Ireland Senior Football Championship

The Curse of '51

Mayo have not won an All-Ireland football final since 1951. Legend has it that a priest became furious when the Mayo team bus returning home from the 1951 final passed by a funeral without showing respect as they celebrated their All-Ireland win. The priest supposedly put a curse on Mayo, that they would not win another title until all of the team had died. All remaining members of the team had died by 2023. Paddy Prendergast, who was the final surviving member and played at full-back, died at the age of 95 on 26 September 2021. Mick Loftus, who was a sub and did not play on the day, died at the age of 93 on 22 April 2023.

There is no evidence of local belief in such a curse before the early 21st century. Also, Mayo hasn't won an All-Ireland final since then.

Results

[[Connacht Senior Football Championship]]

Semi-Final

Semi-Final

Final

[[Leinster Senior Football Championship]]

Preliminary Round

Preliminary Round

Preliminary Round

Preliminary Round Replay

Quarter-Final

Quarter-Final

Quarter-Final

Quarter-Final

Quarter-Final Replay

Semi-Final

Semi-Final

Semi-Final Replay

Final

[[Munster Senior Football Championship]]

Quarter-Final

Quarter-Final

Semi-Final

Semi-Final

Final

[[Ulster Senior Football Championship]]

Quarter-Final

Quarter-Final

Quarter-Final Replay

Quarter-Final

Quarter-Final

Semi-Final

Semi-Final

Final

[[All-Ireland Senior Football Championship]]

Semi-Final

Semi-Final

Semi-Final Replay

Main article: 1951 All-Ireland Senior Football Championship Final

Final

Championship statistics

Miscellaneous

• Limerick back in the Munster championship after 2 year rest break.
• In fact the Leinster football championship saw a triple of draws and replays they were in the following games as we know, – Preliminary Round, Longford vs Carlow. – Quarter-Final, Wexford vs Westmeath. – Semi-Final, Meath vs Louth.
• The All Ireland semi-final between Meath and Antrim was their first championship meeting.
• Mayo are All Ireland Champions for 2 in a row and Connacht Champions for 4 in a row.

References

References

1. "Football Results 1941 – 1970".
2. "All-Ireland Senior Football Championship Results 1887–2010".
3. "Leinster Senior Football Champions – Roll of Honours".
4. (13 September 2013). "Ever heard the story about the priest who put a lifelong curse on the Mayo football team in 1951?". The 42.
5. Gannon, Colm. (14 June 2019). "The Flying Doctor – one of the true greats of Mayo". [[Mayo Advertiser]].
6. Healy, Martin. (26 September 2021). "Paddy Prendergast, the final member of the Mayo 1951 team, dies aged 95". Extra.ie.
7. Roche, Frank. (26 September 2021). "Paddy Prendergast, the last surviving member of Mayo's 1951 All-Ireland winning XV, passes away aged 95". [[Irish Independent]].
8. Fogarty, John. (26 September 2021). "Mayo great Paddy Prendergast passes away". [[Irish Examiner]].
9. O'Toole, Fintan. (26 September 2021). "Mayo All-Ireland winning hero from 1951 team passes away". [[TheJournal.ie#The42.ie.
10. Mannion, Teresa. (22 April 2023). "Former GAA President Dr Michael Loftus dies aged 93". [[RTÉ News]].