1981 All-Ireland Under-21 Football Championship
| Championship details | |
|---|---|
| All-Ireland Champions | |
| Winning team | Cork (4th win) |
| Captain | Seán Hayes |
| All-Ireland Finalists | |
| Losing team | Galway |
| Provincial Champions | |
| Munster | Cork |
| Leinster | Louth |
| Ulster | Monaghan |
| Connacht | Galway |
The 1981 All-Ireland Under-21 Football Championship was the 18th staging of the All-Ireland Under-21 Football Championship since its establishment by the Gaelic Athletic Association in 1964.
Cork entered the championship as defending champions.
On 8 November 1981, Cork won the championship following a 2-9 to 1-6 defeat of Galway in a replay of the All-Ireland final. This was their fourth All-Ireland title overall and their second in successive seasons.