Our Day in the Life series takes a look at some of the fantastic people who work within The Doyle Collection, to see what their day entails. Sean Reid is the Deputy General Manager of The Croke Park, and has worked in the hotel for over eleven years. Here, he tells us about his early starts, his favourite parts of the day and most memorable experiences within the job...

“Times can vary depending on business level, but I generally get in to work for 6.45am. I have a ritual at this stage. I check the daily sheet to see what the day has in store, put my tie on, say hi to the Nights Team and then do a full ground floor walk, ensuring I check in with all departments. I let them know I’m here and to call if they need me. I enjoy spending a bit of time with our Housekeeping in the morning, too… we have a chat about how they think their day will be. 

I drive to work every day. I only live 20 minutes away but I ensure not to leave after 6.20am as I can’t stand traffic! 

As is the way with this industry, no two mornings are the same, and that is the beauty of it. I ensure I am between breakfast and Reception in the peak time of 7am & 9am. I meet our guests, might sit and have a cup of tea with our fantastic loyal and regular guests we have had over the years. 

I interact with our guests as much as possible, and it is the favorite part of my job. When I need to step away from the office and away from my emails I go out onto the floor and interact with our guests as much as I can. 

I try to have a bit of breakfast around 9am and then lunch at around 2pm. I always eat in house - our staff food is fantastic!

Our busiest time of day is usually between 7am & 9am and again from 5pm – 9pm. These times our bar, restaurant and lobby areas are all busy with guests. I try to be present during these times as much as possible - firstly for our guests and secondly to show support to my team. 

I would usually try to get away at around 6.30pm, as to avoid traffic. 

I got married in February just gone, so at the moment I go home to my wife, have dinner and just relax on the couch. My wife is also in the industry, so it’s not often we get the same days off together. When we do, we go for a nice meal and a few drinks to relax.  

The All Ireland Days always stand out as pivotal moments. I have worked over 20 of them, including replays, and there is honestly nothing better. I try to describe the buzz and atmosphere that the day has in the hotel to new team members, but you have to experience it to understand it.

I get in early, around 8am, and Jones’s Road is so quiet. You can see The Sam Maguire or Liam MacCarthy being brought in, the barriers being laid down and the diehard supports are either getting up to avoid the breakfast rush or going to bed to get a nap before throw-in after a night of it!