Mayo's men's Gaelic football team have become all-Ireland champions, beating Kerry in the final and ending a 75-year run of defeats attributed to a supposed curse, according to the Guardian.
Key facts
- Mayo won the all-Ireland men's Gaelic football final against Kerry.
- The victory ends 75 years of defeats linked to a supposed curse.
- The team is set to return home for a euphoric homecoming.
- The result triggered a wave of emotion across Ireland, including among rivals.
- The Guardian reported the story on 27 July 2026.
Mayo are all-Ireland Gaelic football champions after beating Kerry in the men’s final, ending a saga that had gripped Ireland for decades, according to the Guardian.
The win comes 75 years after a supposed curse was said to have condemned the county’s men’s football team to repeated defeat. The Guardian described the outcome as a fairytale ending to a story that had ‘bewitched Ireland for decades’.
The report said the victory ‘uncorked a wave of emotion that engulfed even its rivals’, reflecting the significance of the result well beyond Mayo itself.
The team is due to return for a homecoming celebration following the triumph, the Guardian reported.
For a county whose long wait had become part of Irish sporting folklore, the result marks the end of an era defined by near-misses and heartbreak in the sport’s showpiece fixture.
The Guardian framed the moment as the breaking of a hex that had loomed over the team for three-quarters of a century, casting the win as a landmark in the county’s sporting history.
Why it matters
Mayo's long wait for an all-Ireland title had become one of the most famous stories in Irish sport, with the supposed curse a recurring talking point across generations. Ending it carries deep emotional weight for the county and resonates throughout Gaelic football.
Frequently asked questions
Who did Mayo beat to win the title?
Mayo beat Kerry in the all-Ireland men's Gaelic football final, according to the Guardian.
How long had Mayo been waiting to win?
The Guardian reported that Mayo had endured 75 years of defeats, linked to a supposed curse, before this victory.
What happens next for the team?
The team is set to return home for a euphoric homecoming celebration, according to the Guardian.