NOTRE DAME UNIVERSITY, EMERALD ISLE CLASSIC 2012
In 2012 we had the honor of coordinating the overall event strategy and project management of the 28,000
travelling supporters and guests of Notre Dame. The project, concept to delivery was worked on by our team
on behalf of Martin Naughton, trustee of Notre Dame; The Naughton Keough Institute; and the University of
Notre Dame for an 18 month period in advance of the actual events, May 2011 to October 2012.
The two key objectives and goals of the weekend were to:
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Give a complete seamless Irish Hospitality experience to the travelling visitors.
Position and present Ireland as a place to return for both business and leisure.
Our responsibilities included:
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Development and Coordination of City Stakeholders committee
Government, local authority and state authority liaison on behalf of the University
Event logistics / transportation
Event Management and production
Event & Safety Plan
Insurance
Venue and contract management
Meeting planning
Ticket Coordination for the Welcome Home Concert at the O2 for 8,500 seats and the Presidents Lunch,
game and lunch tickets by 1,200 guests
Budget management
PR & Media campaign - Create and Develop regular Marketing and Communication Collateral to support
the University to maximise the travelling contingent
Sponsorship
Devise and manage programs for the travelling marching bands, choirs and other University groups
Coordination and management of the trustee program
Generate a close working / communication relationship with the key destination travel agent – John
Anthony Travel and their Irish agent Abbey Tours
KEY EVENTS:
Over 20 individual events organized and managed between 29th August and September 2nd 2012.
Notre Dame – A Welcome Home (The Pep Rally)
The O2 Arena, Friday 31st August, 5:30pm – 11:00pm
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Attended by 8,500 people, including the Taoiseach who addressed the audience
Hosted by Miriam O’Callaghan, guests included US actor Martin Short and President of Notre Dame
University, Father John Jenkins.
Musical performances by the Notre Dame Marching Band, Damien Dempsey, The High Kings, Brian
Kennedy, Liam O’Flynn, Anthony Kearns, Eimear Quinn and an original dance piece created specifically for
the event by Riverdance Collin Dunne.
Pre event hospitality for over 1,400 guests
Broadcast live by RTE and streamed live on youtube to a potential audience of over 40 million people.
Sponsored by Glen Dimplex, The Gathering and Connect Ireland.
All ticket sale revenue generated was donated to local Irish Charities by the University – Euro 125,000
Notre Dame Thanksgiving Mass
Dublin Castle, Saturday 1st September, 9:00am – 10:00am
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Attended by 5,000 people
Streamed live by RTE played to the US
Televised by RTE
Presided by the Archbishop Diarmuid Martin
Notre Dame Tailgate
Temple Bar, Saturday 1st September, 10:00am – 1:30pm
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Attended by 25,000 Notre Dame supporters
Dublin’s biggest street party
Featuring a parade and performance by the 200 piece Notre Dame Band
Creation of a traditional Irish rural village in the City.
Sponsored by Coca Cola, Bord Bia and Temple Bar traders
Cost neutral event
President’s Lunch
Aviva Stadium, Saturday 1st September, 11:00am – 2:00pm
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Pregame Corporate Event
Attended by 1,200
Including the Taoiseach, General Dempsey, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Key political, academic
and business figures from Ireland and the US.
Academic Programs
Various locations, Thursday 29th August – Friday 30th August
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Arts and Letters - Academic Program - 1916 and the culture of Ireland
College of Engineering Academic Program - The Future of Energy: Dreams and Responsibilities
Business Academic Program – Government Buildings
Notre Dame – The Irish Connections
KEY MOMENT: The Stakeholders committee which met once a month for almost a year included senior
representatives from An Garda Siochana, The City Councils, Key venues , transport authorities, the stadium
and ourselves identified a serious logistical and safety concern around the Notre Dame tailgate in the Temple
Bar area on the morning of the 1st September. In summary over half of the crowd of the Aviva Stadium
(25,000) would be gathering in Temple Bar area pre match that needed to get to the Stadium which the
majority as new to the city did not know the direction or then best means of transport which caused the Garda
great concerns.Corporate.ie had detailed discussions with Dublin Bus to find a solution, not only did Dublin Bus
provide 40 double decker buses on a relay system, they provided them for free with personnel holding large
stadium specific directional signs for the different buses. The seamless service carried over 11,000 people on
the day and made headlines in the USA pre event in relation to the great planning of the Irish for the game.
SPONSORSHIP SOURCED:
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Notre Dame, A Welcome home - cost neutral to the University thanks to Dimplex Thermal Solutions,
Connect Ireland & Failte Ireland
Notre Dame, Thanksgiving Mass – venue sponsored by the OPW
Temple Bar Tailgate – cost neutral to the University thanks to Coca Cola, The Temple Bar Traders
Association, The Temple Bar Gallery, Bord Bia, Dublin Bus and Dublin City Council