Munster SFC cup to be known as Corn Pháidí Uí Shé

“The reason it wouldn’t be Corn Páidí Ó Sé is because that wouldn’t be the vernacular - it takes the genitive case," explained former Kerry footballer Dara Ó Cinnéide

Páidí Ó Sé won 11 Munster titles as a player and six as Kerry manager. Pic: Pat Murphy/Sportsfile

The Munster SFC cup will be known as Corn Pháidí Uí Shé.

Munster GAA announced in March that the cup, which had not previously been named after an individual or organisation, would honour Kerry legend Páidí Ó Sé.

The Irish-language title was arrived at following consultation with former Kerry footballer Dara Ó Cinnéide and Gaeilgeoir Mícheál Ó Sé.

“The reason it wouldn’t be Corn Páidí Ó Sé is because that wouldn’t be the vernacular - it takes the genitive case,” explained Ó Cinnéide.

“You can say Corn Páidí Ó Sé in terms of a dedication, and it’s not incorrect, but if I’m commentating on Raidió na Gaeltachta, I would be saying Corn Pháidí Uí Shé. You wouldn’t get anybody in the Gaeltacht to say Corn Páidí Ó Sé.

“I get asked a lot of these questions. I was 99% sure it was Corn Pháidí Uí Shé. I rang Mícheál Ó Sé, who I would have worked with for years and years. He has all the rules of grammar. I just said, ‘Why would it not be Corn Páidí Ó Sé?’ He said, ‘It’s just not in Gaeltacht vernacular, not in the Irish language.’” 

The west Kerry man, who died in 2012 aged 57, won 11 Munster titles as a player, including as captain in 1985. As Kerry manager, he led the Kingdom to six Munster crowns. 

Ó Cinnéide believes it is likely people will simply refer to it as the Páidí Ó Sé Cup.

“It’s a nice one for Páidí’s family,” he said.

“It’s 30 years since Páidí coached Kerry to beat Cork in ’96, and it was a big deal - the Munster Championship was huge at that time.”

The three-time All-Ireland winner believes Corn Pháidí Uí Shé being on the line for the first time does add an extra element to Sunday's game.

"It has to happen sometime," he said about a Cork win.

"Cork haven't beaten Kerry since 1995 in Killarney, and I was playing that day! If not now, then when? It's not a yerra, yerra, Kerry poor mouthing. It wouldn't surprise me at all if Cork beat us. Obviously, I hope I'm wrong. There's a lot of positive stuff coming over the county bounds these days."