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.[4] All remaining members of the team had died by 2023.[5][6]Paddy Prendergast, who was the final surviving member and played at full-back, died at the age of 95 on 26 September 2021.[7][8][9]Mick Loftus, who was a sub and did not play on the day, died at the age of 93 on 22 April 2023.[10]
The curse is one that was disproven, for records show there was no funeral in Foxford on that day.[11] In addition, there is no evidence of local belief in such a curse before the early 21st century.
