In the name of the game, we’ll leave it Caoimh
THE grandson of Pádraig Ó Caoimh has said he’s ‘absolutely delighted’ that common sense has prevailed over the planned renaming of the famous Cork GAA stadium.
Supporters from the Rebel County, including Tánaiste Micheál Martin, voiced their criticism earlier this month when it was announced Páirc Uí Chaoimh may be renamed to SuperValu Páirc (or Park) as part of an estimated €1m sponsorship deal.
It’s understood the stadium needed the much-needed cash injection as it debts currently stands at around €30million.
However, after much debate, an agreement has been reached to rename the Leeside stadium as SuperValu Páirc Uí Chaoimh.
It is part of a ten-year partnership between the retailer and Cork GAA, with the naming rights to be finalised at a special meeting of county board delegates today.
Former general secretary of the GAA Padraig Ó Caoimh’s grandson, Dónal, has welcomed the compromise after previously expressing his ‘shock and sadness’ over the initial proposal.
‘I am happy today that common sense has prevailed and that the Cork GAA and SuperValu have reached a compromise,’ he said.
‘This compromise helps promote the financial stability of the games as well as protect our heritage and the values of the GAA – inclusiveness, community spirit, and sense of identity and place – values that my grandfather Pádraig Ó Caoimh embodied.’
Speaking from Belfast yesterday, the Tánaiste said he was pleased that a ‘reasonable compromise’ has been reached after previously taking to Twitter/X to state he was ‘deeply disappointed and annoyed’ at the proposed name change.
‘It marries economic necessity on the one hand with protecting heritage and recognition of an individual, Pádraig Ó Caoimh, who did extraordinary work in the establishment of the GAA, who was a founding member of my club, Nemo Rangers,’ Mr Martin said. ‘It did get personal in that sense.’ However, asked if he would be using the new name, Mr Martin joked that ‘it is always going to be Páirc Uí Chaoimh’.
Speaking on RTÉ’s Morning Ireland, Cork GAA chief executive Kevin O’Donovan denied that negative feedback played a part in the retention of the stadium name.
‘There was no influence from the Government, there was no interference,’ he said.
‘We had no communication with the Government throughout this process, but we are sure they are happy with the outcome.
‘Everybody wants to preserve the name. We did also.
‘All parties wanted to, but they understood the difficult position we were in. We expect a very positive response when we go back to our delegates tomorrow with the good news.’
‘No influence from the Government’