SuperValu Páirc: Ó Chaoimh family ‘not informed’ of controversial name change plan

The family of the man Cork’s Páirc Uí Chaoimh is named after says they were "not informed" of a shock proposal to rename the stadium. Cork GAA is set to rename the venue SuperValu Páirc as part of a €1m sponsorship deal with the owner of the supermarket brand. County Board delegates will be asked to ratify the deal at a meeting this evening. Páirc Uí Chaoimh was first opened in 1976 before undergoing a €110m redevelopment in 2015 to become Ireland's fourth largest stadium. It’s named after former GAA Director General Pádraig Ó Caoimh who, during his 35-year tenure, doubled the number of registered clubs in the country. On Lunchtime Live today, his grandson Donal Ó Caoimh said he was completely against the potential renaming of Cork’s foremost stadium. “It’s galling to me that SuperValu is considering making the eradication of my grandfather’s legacy a condition of sponsorship,” he said. “My grandfather's story inspires young players to dream but the gateway is now open for the sale of our heritage and narrative for profit. “If you take away the absence of focus on money and corporations from games, you’ve lost what makes the GAA unique.” ________________________________________________________________________________________________ 📱 Have you downloaded the Newstalk app? - Find the app in the Google Play store: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.thisisaim.newstalk&hl=en_IE&gl=US - Find the app via Apple: https://apps.apple.com/ie/app/newstalk-106-108-fm/id372643826 #️⃣ SUBSCRIBE to the Newstalk social channels: - YOUTUBE | youtube.com/@Newstalkfm - TWITTER | twitter.com/newstalkfm - INSTAGRAM | instagram.com/newstalkfm/ - FACEBOOK | facebook.com/newstalkfm - WEBSITE | https://www.newstalk.com/ 🎧 PODCAST - listen at your leisure: newstalk.com/podcasts - iTunes: search for Newstalk in your app! - Spotify: search for Newstalk for our latest pods and news - Or wherever you get your podcasts! 📱GET IN TOUCH WITH NEWSTALK - WhatsApp: get in touch on 0871400106