MAYO fans are hoping divine intervention – via Pope Francis – could help lift a reputed 67-year curse from the county team.
The pontiff signed a Mayo jersey as he departed the county following his visit to the Knock Shrine.
Pope Francis signs a Mayo football jersey at the airport in Knock. Will that end the curse? #popeinireland pic.twitter.com/Zexo18JZXv
— RTÉ News (@rtenews) 26 August 2018
Twitter has since gone into meltdown that the gesture could finally see Mayo win the All-Ireland again.
Since their last success in 1951, the Westerners have reached nine finals without success.
Reputedly the team failed to stop celebrating as they passed a funeral cortege on the way home from their 1951 victory, and were cursed to never win the competition again until all members of the side had passed away.
The story has been dismissed as nonsense but true or not, fans are hoping the Pope’s backing could help bring the county some much sought-after silverware.
Mayo fan Audrey Elliott with the jersey signed by Pope Francis as he boarded a flight back to Dublin. She hopes the Mayo ‘curse’ has been lifted! #popeinireland pic.twitter.com/404bebZBsn
— Cate McCurry (@CateMcCurry) 26 August 2018
Pope Francis signs a Mayo jersey. The curse has been lifted #Mayo4Sam2019
— Pádraig Boylan (@Podge24) 26 August 2018
Bye bye the curse! #MayoforSam2019 pic.twitter.com/YVMUoC8xrd
— John Madden (@johnmadden2706) 26 August 2018
Pope signed a mayo jersey you know what that means... Mayo for psalm 💚❤️
— Laura (@Laura_Joyce1) 26 August 2018
If Pope Francis signing a Mayo jersey doesn’t break “the curse” nothing ever will 😂 #popeinireland
— Edel Browne (@edelbrowne_) 26 August 2018
Measures to rid Mayo of “the curse” have reached new levels #PopeInIreland pic.twitter.com/49aM5tpa5T
— Lauren Guilfoyle (@LaurenGuilfoyle) 26 August 2018
Pope signing mayo jersey in hopes of lifting the curse..were getting desperate now lads
— Ciara Bourke (@ciarabourkee) 26 August 2018
It's not the first time Mayo have sought help from on high, after the image of Mary was projected onto the Knock Shrine ahead of their 2017 semi-final against Kerry.
They reached the final after a replay but lost in the decider to Dublin.
