Spectators watching last Sunday's All-Ireland SHC Final at Croke Park. Photo by Stephen McCarthy/Sportsfile
By Cian O’Connell
“There is nothing like being part of an All-Ireland final day,” Marie Smyth, Croke Park Premium, Suite & Hospitality Manager says.
An intriguing afternoon beckons at GAA headquarters for the 2024 SFC decider between Armagh and Galway. Before referee Sean Hurson throws in the ball, though, significant planning and plotting has taken place to ensure a capacity crowd witnesses the action in comfort at the Jones Road venue.
“When those teams run out onto the pitch, when you hear that roar, when you know everyone in the building has the biggest want in the world for their team to succeed and being part of that, it is a phenomenal feeling,” Smyth adds.
“Knowing you’ve added to a person’s day, to come in to see their team, even if their team loses, that you’ve enhanced the overall experience for them. It is a great feeling; you get a great buzz off it.”
Emma Kelly, Stadium Safety Officer, outlines the value and relevance of the weeks leading up to the All-Ireland finals. “People don’t really know about operations and what is happening behind the scenes and what goes on in this department, we will have about 3,000 staff coming in, to look after the fixture that it is,” she explains.
“That will cover catering, security, our voluntary stewards, customer care teams, and organising turnstile staff for example to come in. So, there is a lot going on behind the scenes, making sure the event is fully staffed and ready to go. The planning goes into that in advance.”
Before the final weekends at Croke Park, there has been plenty of important GAA occasions in the capital. That is a help in getting everything to be smooth on the showpiece days. “Running up to it, for the semi-finals, we get good practice, but each final is different,” Kelly says. “You see two different teams in it this year which adds a bit of excitement.
“Our planning remains the same, regardless of what the match is. Every Thursday we have a pre-event meeting that involves all of the stakeholders – Dublin Fire Brigade, An Garda Síochana, HSE, our medical co-ordinators, National Transport Authority, and all of our security providers. It is just making sure everyone is on the same page going into a big event.”
Marie Smyth acknowledges it is a hectic stint, but there is a sense of enjoyment and fulfilment for people working. “It’s full on, but it is a great position to be in, being this busy,” she says.
“The demand for the tickets and the interest in the games has been phenomenal. To be able to get everything lined up, hospitality wise, ticket wise, it is brilliant.
“The team here is working really hard, to make sure that is the case, to make sure everyone really enjoys it when they get here. There is a significant amount of work in it.”
Throughout the years, experience has been gleaned. One of the great days in the Irish sporting calendar happens and Smyth relishes being involved. “We’ve been doing it a while, so we have systems in place to make sure that we don’t miss anything,” she says.
“When I first started into this job, it was about putting those things in place and getting the team au fait with where the ticked boxes were, so we didn’t miss anything.
“Year on year we have just improved and streamlined that. Yes, we are full tilt, but we know what we need, we know where we get it from, we know the order and processes that need to be put in place to make sure what we drive out is successful.”
Smyth acknowledges that it took ‘a bit of an adjustment’ dealing with the more condensed nature of the inter-county season in recent campaigns. “We have it down to a fine art now, it definitely puts pressure on the team to get everything in on time,” Smyth says. “We are very lucky our stakeholders, whether it be seat holders or the sponsors they are equally impacted by the timelines.”
For Emma Kelly the past few weeks have been chaotic with calls and meetings, but that is precisely what occurs during the latter stages of Championship time. “I have a nice seat up there in event control, but I don’t really get to see much of the match,” she laughs.
“Our main concern from an operational point of view is just that everyone arrives on time, safely, and has a good day, regardless of the result. Of course, half will be happy fans at the end and the other half won’t about the game, but you just want to ensure that everyone gets home safely. That is what our planning is, making sure that happens on the day.
“We put so much work into the planning, hopefully the day then goes off seamlessly with no issues.
“It is a credit to all the teams here in Croke Park, everyone does their bit to make sure the day does go successfully. That is even down to organising the All-Ireland mass in the morning, making sure everything is set up for the day.”
Early on Sunday morning staff will start gathering at dawn, getting everything sorted for the day ahead. By late afternoon, Croke Park will be rocking.