Limerick and Mayo successes harbour back to golden eras

With the rise of right-wing ideology in various countries around Europe in recent years some are given to comparisons with the interwar years when all hell broke loose slowly. This is not to suggest that the altitude of Limerick and Mayo is going to lead to absolute war, but there is definitely something of the 1930s about the National Leagues. Back in that decade when there was also plenty of talk of trade tariffs between Britain and Ireland as there is right now, Limerick and Mayo dominated the Leagues like they never have been since. The Limerick hurlers had the time of their lives at championship level too with five Munster championships and three All-Irelands over eight seasons. They took five consecutive League titles and carved out a revered place in the annals of Munster hurling.

Mayo’s footballers went one better with six in a row in the National Football League, though their All-Ireland haul was more modest with just the one – their maiden victory in 1936. Still they took four Connacht titles in those six years, no mean feat in itself considering that their perennial Connacht Finals opponents were Galway, All-Ireland champions themselves in 1934 and ’38. It also happens in 2019 that one of Mayo’s hurdles will be their near and dear neighbours in Galway once again. Whatever progress they have made in the League if they fall against Galway once more in Connacht life will certainly be more difficult. They are a curious team in that they can put it up to Dublin and Kerry, as they did in 2017, yet slip up when the jump appears not as high. That remains a risk.

 

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