What’s in a name? Quite a lot, judging by the negative response this week to proposals to rename Páirc Uí Chaoimh. The critics, who include Tánaiste Micheál Martin, are appalled at suggestions that Cork’s GAA stadium, which was redeveloped in 2017 at a cost of €96 million, could become SuperValu Park as part of a million-euro deal with the retail chain.
Such arrangements will always meet with resistance. A hard core of stalwarts continue to refer to the Aviva Stadium as Lansdowne Road. A smaller but no less obdurate group refuse to call the 3Arena anything except the Point. And some still recoil at the linguistic pile-up that is the Bord Gáis Energy Theatre.
Up to now, the GAA has been less inclined to sell the family silver in its entirety. Venues such as Kingspan Breffni or FBD Semple Stadium have partly retained their traditional names.
But needs must. The Cork GAA convention was told last month that the debt on Páirc Uí Chaoimh remains in excess of €30 million, with significant annual losses increasing that tally. The stadium has had to contend with unpopularity among GAA fans from other counties, a shortage of big concerts and the under-performance of the county’s own football and hurling teams. Although it has achieved capacity crowds for one-off rugby and soccer matches, it has yet to achieve one for a GAA fixture. A cynic might suggest a more apposite name would be Páirc Eilifint Bán.
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When it comes to re-naming, Corkonians may have special reason to feel aggrieved. Musgrave Park, the city’s rugby ground, was Irish Independent Park from 2015 to 2020, then reverted to its original name. It has recently been baptised Virgin Media Park. The benefit of this to sponsors is surely debatable.
Cork GAA chief executive Kevin O’Donovan says all options remain on the table. He and Supervalu might ask themselves whether the proposed change will do more harm than good for both parties. Whatever the outcome, it is safe to assume the new name will be roundly ignored by fans.