‘When Cluxton slotted that free, the whole building seemed to shake’

Wicklow native Alan Smullen has been working at The Croke Park Hotel since 2005 – and is now general manager. This weekend promises to be a busy one for Smullen and his team, as fans of Mayo, Dublin, Kerry, and Derry descend on Croke Park for the All-Ireland football finals. So what lies in store?

Q: Alan, how long have you been working at The Croke Park Hotel?

A: I started in 2005, a few weeks after we opened. I started as a receptionist and worked my way up, and was made general manager in August 2010. I’m directly responsible for everything to do with business — sales, revenue, customer satisfaction, health and safety — but it all boils down to managing people.