FIRST things first. Comhghairdeas Tir Eoghan! A hearty congratulations to our northern neighbours on their fourth All Ireland title. Love them or loathe them, everyone must respect and admire how they go about their business.

The proverbial ‘pantomime villain’ defeated a despondent Mayo team who must now toil with the anguish of having to wait for another year to try and capture their fourth elusive title.

Another possible fable that could be occupying everyone’s mind, not just Mayo people, is the notorious ‘Curse of 1951.’

We have all heard the various versions of this legendary story of how the last Mayo team back in 1951 in some way disrespected a funeral which resulted in a curse being placed upon the county until all those team members had passed on.

Every year the Mayo team reach the final, this folktale rears its head, and every year that Mayo fails to break its hold only serves to strengthen the credibility surrounding it. I have absolutely no doubt that no-one within the Mayo team set up have any belief that the curse is real. Back in 2006, whenever my father and Mickey Moran took Mayo to an All-Ireland final, they asked the players whether they believed in the curse and to a man not one had given it any credibility.

Even so my father spent the whole year researching the origins of the curse trying to find either the alleged grave or current day family member so that they could cleanse the notion from their psyche.

He read local newspapers from the period, spoke to clergymen, local historians, and Mayo people who may have been able to help him find something physical that he could use to, excuse the pun, bury the curse for good.

With all the research he completed not one person could give him definitive answers as to where the grave was or if there were any known family members still alive or living in the county. So, without this he continued through the year trying to build them up to be as mentally tough and prepared for the campaign ahead.

My father was a not one for believing in curses and jinxes but was more aware of the effect that a player’s mind, both conscious and sub-conscious, can have on their physical performance. It is not so much the curse itself but the negative energy that it can create within the population it is thrown over.

He knew just how infectious body language and positivenegative energies were, so much so that he would always ensure he was always full of positivity and his was epitomized by his famous “I’m wonderful!” reply to anyone who asked how he was.

He knew positive energy was infectious and stereotypically Irish people are more inclined to be pessimistic in their assessment of how life is treating them, so his reply would be loud and over the top to pass on some of the positivity that he had. Indeed, anyone who spent time talking with him always said they always left feeling invigorated and optimistic.

If he had been able to locate some form of physical connection to the curse, his plan was to complete a physical act or ritual if you wish, for the team to be able appease the curse within their own minds so they could move forward without being affected by it any further. The biggest problem though would be from external influences on the team, mainly supporters – especially those who are easily wooed by the fantasy of a possible hoodoo dictating the fate of their beloved team.

Daddy knew that negative energy was just as infectious, if not more, than positive energy and when supporters have feelings of nervousness and apprehension, that can transfer onto the field of play. This can especially become the case when things do not go to plan andor mistakes are made, or performance levels are not as high as expected begins to feed the crowds anxiety. This was no more evident than when watching this year’s final, my father-in-law shouting ‘they’re cursed’ any time Mayo missed, or whenever Tyrone scored their two goals.

I remember asking my father back in 2006 about why he thought some curses had such bearings over certain athletes and teams specifically asking about the notion of bogey teams. I will never forget the answer he gave me:

“Have you ever heard of a paradox son?” (which at the time I hadn’t)

“Well, a paradox is like the unstoppable force meeting the immoveable object. The longer a curse goes unbroken the more credibility it gains, but the more credibility it gains the stronger the hold it can have over you. But it’s also important to note that for a curse to have a hold over you, you first have to believe in it.”

As with curses, Dad also had a different outlook on the notion of Luck. He was a firm believer that ‘Luck was merely the place where opportunity and preparation met.’ Meaning if an opportunity arises and you are prepared for it, then there is a greater chance of that opportunity going your way. So, in closing the moral of this week’s article is this.

If you are going to put your energy into weeks of hard work on the training field in preparation for the opportunities that could arise during games, then do not let negative energies undo all your preparations whether those energies come from internal or external sources. But whatever happens, ‘Don’t Curse Your Luck!’

Email: pmgoalkeeping@hotmail.com

Facebook: @MSoG11

Twitter: @MorSchGk

11 September 2021; Mayo players Aidan O’Shea, right, and Darren Coen following the GAA Football All-Ireland Senior Championship Final match between Mayo and Tyrone at Croke Park in Dublin. Photo by Stephen McCarthySportsfile

11 September 2021; Mayo players Aidan O’Shea, right, and Darren Coen following the GAA Football All-Ireland Senior Championship Final match between Mayo and Tyrone at Croke Park in Dublin. Photo by Stephen McCarthySportsfile