Cork to get green light for renaming of ‘Páirc’

AN emergency meeting of the Cork County Board is expected to give approval to its headquarters being renamed SuperValu Páirc Uí Chaoimh tonight. Cork GAA confirmed yesterday that an agreement has been struck with Musgraves, owner of the SuperValu retail franchise, just two weeks after an initial proposal that would have seen long-time GAA administrator Pádraig Ó Chaoimh’s name dropped. Cork CEO Kevin O’Donovan rejected the suggestion that the board was forced into a ‘climbdown’, amid protests from political figures, including Tánaiste Micheál Martin, as well as from GAA officialdom within the Rebel County. ‘I wouldn’t phrase it as a climbdown, we were going through a process and unfortunately there was a leak before we got to organise a consultation process with our clubs. ‘We are aware of all the commentary, there was no influence from the Government, no interference, we had no communication with Government throughout this process,’ O’Donovan told RTÉ’s Morning Ireland yesterday. However, despite O’Donovan’s claim that the deal was ‘the best outcome for both sides’, Musgraves had initially sought to have the stadium renamed SuperValu Park in an initial deal that had been estimated to be worth between €250,000 to €300,000 a year. O’Donovan would not be drawn on the figures involved in the repackaged deal — some sources estimate that it could be worth up to €3million over 10 years — but hailed it as a ‘win, win’ for both parties. ‘The value is part of a confidential and commercial matter but there is a significant sum reflecting value for both SuperValu and Cork GAA, so we are absolutely delighted with the outcome. ‘We have had very healthy discussion with SuperValu after the last few weeks and we are really positive with the outcome now,’ he added.