Aramark caters for more than 160,000 supporters across two unforgettable All-Ireland finals at Croke Park
Two capacity crowds, two new All-Ireland champions and the end of one of Irish sport’s longest waits made this year’s hurling and football finals an unforgettable fortnight at Croke Park.
Aramark catered for more than 160,000 supporters and guests across the two Sundays as Limerick reclaimed the Liam MacCarthy Cup and Mayo won their first All-Ireland Senior football title since 1951. Aramark’s teams are now preparing for the next major occasions in Croke Park’s summer calendar.
Throughout both weekends, Aramark delivered the food, beverage, and hospitality experience across the stadium. More than 1,000 team members worked across the public concourses, bars, restaurants, premium areas, and private suites, catering for supporters seeking familiar match-day favourites as well as guests enjoying full hospitality menus.
A Vast Catering Operation
Behind the action on the pitch was a vast catering operation spanning every level of Croke Park. Across the two finals, Aramark’s team served 141,500 beverages, 14,500 portions of chips, 9,100 burgers and 2135 carvery dinners as more than 160,000 supporters gathered for two landmark days in Irish sport. Alongside the traditional match-day favourites, popular new additions such as iced tea and iced matcha reflected the changing tastes of supporters and the growing variety available across the stadium.
Meanwhile, in Croke Park’s hospitality facilities, Aramark’s culinary teams celebrated the best of Irish produce through specially curated menus designed for one of the most prestigious dates in the sporting calendar.
Across the two Sundays, locally sourced seafood featured prominently, with dishes including sea scallops, local crab, lobster roll and Guinness-cured salmon rillette with warm prawn toast. The main courses across the two finals included grilled tomahawk steak and Murphy’s of Woodstock beef tenderloin, accompanied by a short-rib bonbon, celeriac purée, fondant potato and vegetables from Lusk. Desserts ranged from Croke Park’s famous slither with vanilla strawberry parfait and local apple bavoir to orchard apple grown on Croke Park’s own farm, served with crémeux and black cherry.
The hospitality programme reflects Aramark’s wider commitment to showcasing Irish ingredients and suppliers while continuously raising the standard of visitor experiences at large scale events.
That wider commitment is also reflected in Croke Park’s pioneering 50 Mile Menu. The initiative features more than 150 seasonal dishes using ingredients sourced within 50 miles of the stadium wherever possible. Some 85% of ingredients are sourced in Ireland, with 70% coming from the immediate area through suppliers including Boyne Valley Meats, Kish Fish and Hugh Maguire Butchers.
The menu also incorporates produce grown at Croke Park’s farm in Killougher, North County Dublin. Compost produced from stadium waste is used to nourish crops on the farm, while its beehives produce honey for use across Croke Park’s hospitality offering. Refreshed twice a year to reflect the seasons, the 50 Mile Menu reduces food miles while supporting local farmers, producers and businesses.
Kevin McGinley, Operations Director at Aramark Ireland, said:
“We often talk about feeding the biggest days in Irish sport, and last Sunday captured exactly what that means. We were not simply serving a capacity crowd. We were looking after families and communities experiencing a moment many of them had waited their entire lives to see.
“The emotion inside Croke Park after the final whistle was remarkable. Mayo supporters were watching 75 years of hope and heartbreak give way to celebration, and the significance of the moment was felt throughout the stadium. It was a privilege for our teams to be there and witness history being made.
“Days like these also demonstrate the extraordinary breadth of talent within Aramark. Across the same stadium, our people were delivering fast, high-volume service, welcoming hospitality guests and preparing ambitious menus built around the finest locally grown Irish produce. Doing all of that simultaneously, while preserving the sense of occasion for every guest and supporter, requires real skill.
“The players created the history on the pitch. Off it, our teams made sure Croke Park rose to the occasion. We are now looking forward to doing it all again for the women’s finals. ”
