FEATURE A World-Class Performance
Ryans were on hand for the clean-up at Croke Park as One Direction took centre stage for their homecoming concert, but they explain why such big events are all in a day's work.
Venue and event cleaning specialist, Ryans Cleaning, joined one of the biggest boy bands to put on a world- class show, as One Direction’s Harry, Zayn, Niall, Louis and Liam descended on Dublin’s Croke Park.
More than 240,000 fans fl ocked to the iconic venue to see the fi ve perform their biggest hits over three nights, while the Ryans team worked hard to ensure that Croke remained in pristine condition. Of course, battling thousands of screaming fans and a whirlwind of pyrotechnics is no mean feat, but the team at Ryans was well equipped for the challenges.
‘Up All Night’ Croke Park, Europe’s fourth largest stadium, required staff to work around the clock to ensure that the venue was kept clean for the crowds of 82,000 fans each night – One Direction’s biggest gig to date. Ryans’ teams were stationed all over the GAA headquarters to manage the cleaning needs of vendors and other contractors, all while implementing a world-class sustainability policy.
The concert was band member Niall Horan’s homecoming gig, and one of the most important of the band’s world tour. Fans were treated to a fi rework display to mark Niall’s return to the venue where he fi rst auditioned for X-Factor four years ago. Even the occasional bout of rain didn’t deter the army of One Direction fans – or the hard-working Ryans team.
Pat Ryan, CEO of Ryan’s Cleaning, said: “This was the kind of event we relish, a challenge day-in and day-out, but for us that’s what we do. We clean all the way down to cigarette ends, with no compromises no matter how many people are attending and how prestigious the event. The gig was One Direction’s biggest to date, but
www.tomorrowscleaningireland.com General Manager Elaine Ryan, and Operational Supervisor Janine Stroude, are big 1D fans.
we’re more than used to events of this size and there was no hurdle our team couldn’t overcome.”
Turning Croke Park Green Ahead of the gigs, One Direction fans launched a Twitter campaign to turn Croke Park green. Although Ryans’ staff didn’t join the fans in donning green outfi ts and waving green balloons, the company’s commitment to sustainability ensured the venue was a green of a different kind.
Croke Park is one of the fi rst stadiums in the world to be awarded ISO 14001 and the renowned ISO 20121 certifi cations, while Ryans Cleaning is the fi rst company to hold all four ISO certifi cates. Ryans was also the fi rst company of its kind in Europe to achieve ISO 20121 Certifi cation, and holds ISO 9001 Quality Management Systems, ISO14001 Environmental Management system and OHSAS 18001 for Occupational Health and Safety. It has won two Small Firms Association (SFA) Business Awards for sustainability, most recently scooping the 2014 award for energy and environmental sustainability.
Croke Park’s objectives include a reduction in energy consumption, an increase in recycling, community engagement, minimising the environmental impact of events on and off the fi eld, and encouraging the environmentally responsible development and staging of events. The mutual commitment to environmental sustainability was a key factor in Ryans Cleaning securing the fi ve-year partnership deal with Croke Park, in March this year.
A New Direction The One Direction concerts may be over, but it hasn’t stopped for Ryans Cleaning where life is nothing if not diverse. Next, the company will swap teenage girls for metal fans as it takes on the cleaning operation at Download Festival in Donington Park. The team will also be hard at work at V Festival and Leeds Festival, as well as gigs including Lady Gaga and Elton John.
www.ryanscleaning.ie
25
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32
