All-Ireland SFC final: What does it mean for Mayo to end 75 years of heartbreak?

To understand the significance of Mayo’s victory on Sunday, you have to go back to 1951.

In a world still reeling from the effects of the Second World War, Harry S Truman was US president as Cold War tensions started to rise, while Winston Churchill was Prime Minister.

Culturally, Nat King Cole and BB King were some of the biggest music artists, while Alice in Wonderland and A Streetcar Named Desire were on the big screen.

That year, Mayo lifted the Sam Maguire Cup – the iconic trophy presented to the team that wins the All-Ireland SFC – for the third time, but it was the celebrations after that caused a stir.

As is so often the case, the players enjoyed themselves. But on their way home they passed a funeral in the village of Foxford, where a local priest reportedly accused the Mayo team of not showing respect.

Instead of stopping and switching off their engine, as would have been the custom in rural Ireland at the time, the Mayo party continued.

In return, the – legend has it – priest placed a curse on Mayo, saying they would never win another All-Ireland while any of the players on the panel were still alive.

It has never been established if the event actually occurred, but after 11 All-Ireland finals came, went and ended in defeat, the myth of the curse grew.

Just two weeks after their previous final defeat by Tyrone in 2021, Paddy Prendergast, the last player to feature in the 1951 final, passed away aged 95.

Two years later, Dr Mick Loftus – the last surviving squad member – died aged 93, but it would not be until this year that Mayo returned to the biggest stage in Irish sport.