A sad day for Mayo GAA.
Father Peter Quinn, an All-Ireland winner in 1950 and 1951, sadly passed away at a Sligo nursing home over the weekend.
He was just one of three surviving members of the last Mayo side to carry Sam Maguire west of the Shannon, and was actually training to be a priest at the time of the All-Ireland final 65 years ago.
Members of the clergy were not allowed play ‘violent games’ and so Quinn often played under an alias, believed to be ‘Peter Quinlan’ in the 1951 season at wing back, having being ordained in 1950.
He spent some time in the Philippines after his training was complete, before settling in America where he lived for most of his life before returning to Ireland in recent years.
However he always kept in touch with Mayo and the county’s football fortunes and was a guest of Taoiseach Enda Kenny at the 2013 All-Ireland final, which Mayo lost to Dublin.
Quinn’s death means there are just two players left from the so called ‘cursed’ team of 1951.
The myth goes that until all members of the all-winning team have passed away, the county will not win another All-Ireland due to the perceived slight of a funeral in Foxford, when the team were celebrating the 1951 success.
Paddy Prendergast, who lives in Kerry, and Padraig Carney, the county’s mdfielder, who are now both well into their 80s, are the last players left from the team still alive.
RIP Fr Peter Quinn, All Ireland winner for Mayo in 50/51, pictured in the Philippines in 1956 (via @gaanostalgia) pic.twitter.com/EdvRLevlMp
— Terry Reilly (@TerReilly) February 1, 2016
RIP Fr Peter Quinn a gentleman and you knew you were in the presence of a special man#legend https://t.co/ZMeJ61zRgs
— David Brady (@D9BMayo) February 1, 2016
