It’s a Super decision to rebrand stadium
Martin puts aside his unease to back Pairc Ui Chaoimh’s new name
TANAISTE Micheal Martin has backed the decision to rebrand a GAA stadium after expressing anger at the idea.
However, he insisted Supervalu Pairc Ui Chaoimh in Cork is “always going to be Pairc Ui Chaoimh” as he explained the venue is “in his DNA”.
When the rebrand was first mooted in January, it sparked a public backlash, including from the family of Padraig O Caoimh in whose honour the ground was name, and the plans were stalled
At the time, Mr Martin, who is Fianna Fail’s TD in Cork South-central, lambasted the idea and said he was “deeply disappointed and annoyed”.
He added: “Government allocated €30million towards the development of the stadium and never sought naming rights.” Yesterday, Cork GAA announced the name would be changed as part of a 10-year deal with the retail chain.
Speaking in Belfast, Mr Martin said it was a “reasonable compromise” that he was “pleased” with.
He added: “It marries economic necessity on the one hand with protecting heritage and recognition of an individual, Padraig O Caoimh, who did extraordinary work in the establishment of the GAA, who was a founding member of my club Nemo Rangers.
“It did get personal in that sense.
“I would be very conscious of the role he played both in our club after the tumultuous period of the War of Independence and the Civil War in the Republic. He met up with another member from another club and they joined forces and they formed Nemo Rangers. The rest is history.
“Pairc Ui Chaoimh is something that’s in my DNA because I was 16 years of age when the very first match was played in the old Pairc Ui Chaoimh, the old athletic grounds before that I would have gone to as a child.
“My brother was one of the first players to play there. He was a goalkeeper with the Cork minor team. Names matter.”
Asked if he would be using the new name Mr Martin joked he “does shop in Supervalu so there is no issue here”.
He said: “It is always going to be Pairc
Ui Chaoimh.” Meanwhile, Padraig O Caoimh said “common sense has prevailed” following the announcement of the new name.
The family of the Irish patriot added they are happy to see a compromise reached that will bolster both GAA funding and the respect the history of the ground.
His grandson Donal O Caoimh said: “I am happy today that common sense has prevailed and that the Cork GAA and Supervalu have reached a compromise.
“This compromise helps promote the financial stability of the games as well as protect our heritage and the values of the GAA.
“Values of inclusiveness, community spirit, and sense of identity and place. Values that my grandfather Padraig O Caoimh embodied.”
Compromise marries economic necessity & protecting heritage MICHEAL MARTIN
BELFAST YESTERDAY