The 1981 All-Ireland Senior Hurling Championship was the 95th staging of the All-Ireland Senior Hurling Championship, the Gaelic Athletic Association's premier inter-county hurling tournament. The draw for the 1981 fixtures took place in September 1980. The championship began on 24 May 1981 and ended on 6 September 1981. Galway were the defending champions but were defeated by Offaly in the final. Westmeath re-entered the Leinster Championship after a three-year absence. On 6 September 1981, Offaly won the championship following a 2–12 to 0–15 defeat of Galway in the All-Ireland final. This was their first All-Ireland title ever. Limerick's Joe McKenna was the championship's top scorer with 7–12. Offaly's Pat Delaney was the choice for Texaco Hurler of the Year.

Team changes

To Championship

Promoted from the All-Ireland Senior B Hurling Championship

From Championship

Relegated to the All-Ireland Senior B Hurling Championship

Teams

General information

Thirteen counties will compete in the All-Ireland Senior Hurling Championship: one team from the Connacht Senior Hurling Championship, six teams in the Leinster Senior Hurling Championship, five teams in the Munster Senior Hurling Championship and one team from the All-Ireland Senior B Hurling Championship.

Provincial championships

Leinster Senior Hurling Championship

Quarter-finals Semi-finals Final

Munster Senior Hurling Championship

Quarter-final Semi-finals Final

All-Ireland Senior Hurling Championship

All-Ireland quarter-finals

All-Ireland semi-finals

All-Ireland Final

Scoring statistics

Broadcasting

The following matches were broadcast live on television in Ireland on RTÉ.

Sources