| Dates | 1 March 1981 - 17 March 1981 | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Teams | 4 | ||
| Champions | Munster (35th title) Joe McKenna (captain) | ||
| Runners-up | Leinster | ||
| Tournament statistics | |||
| Matches played | 3 | ||
| Goals scored | 10 (3.33 per match) | ||
| Points scored | 60 (20 per match) | ||
| Top scorer(s) | Éamonn Cregan (2-09) | ||
| |||
The 1981 Railway Cup Hurling Championship was the 55th staging of the Railway Cup since its establishment by the Gaelic Athletic Association in 1927.[1] The cup began on 1 March 1981 and ended on 17 March 1981.
Connacht were the defending champions, however, they were beaten by Leinster in the semi-final.
On 17 March 1981, Munster won the cup after a 2–16 to 2–06 defeat of Leinster in the final at Cusack Park.[2] This was their 35th Railway Cup title overall and their first title since 1978.