Cleaning up: Tipperary company has collected a massive 6,000 tonnes of rubbish from events

Tipperary-based Ryans Cleaning is Ireland and the UK’s premier event cleaning company.

For over 30 years, this family run business has delivered quality, consistency and reliability to the industry. Based in Thurles, from humble beginnings the company has expanded rapidly in recent years.

As peak season draws to a close after the National Ploughing Championship clean up, they have taken stock of the season to date.

In 2023, so far they have cleaned up after almost 3 million attendees at various events in Ireland and the UK and collected over 6,000 tonnes of rubbish.

They specialise in large event clean-ups and waste disposal at events such as music festivals, race meetings, sports events and all large indoor and outdoor events, while keeping sustainability and innovation at the forefront of what they do. 

Ryans Cleaning, based in Thurles, dominate the market with Irish clients including; Bord Gáis Energy Theatre, Dublin Zoo, 3 Arena, Electric Picnic and The Ploughing Championships to mention but a few. From a sporting venue perspective Croke Park, Punchestown, Limerick, Leopardstown, Galway, Tipperary and Kilbeggan racecourses are amongst their valued clients. They also have an impressive portfolio in the UK including British Summer Time in London’s Hyde Park, Reading, Leeds and Creamfields Music Festivals, Latitude and Vicarage Road Stadium the home of Watford FC.

Aisling Ryan, Chief Executive Officer at Ryans Cleaning has brought the business to new heights since taking over the reins from her father Pat Ryan. New clients added to their impressive portfolio this year include many large and small scale events, most notably Boomtown, BBC Radio 2, Harry Styles at Slane Castle, Beyond the Pale and Burghley Horse Trials in the UK.

Event cleaning has changed significantly over the last three decades with new challenges like single-use vapes and changes in attendee behaviour cited as the greatest challenges faced this season. The weather always has major implications for Ryans Cleaning at outdoor events and logistics and recruitment are ongoing challenges too. Demand for entertainment, sports and events is high and as a result the season is longer and more intense than ever before. 

On the positive side, patrons are paying more attention to disposing of their rubbish at outdoor events. Aisling Ryan commented “We've noticed people are more cautious about using the correct bins instead of using general waste for everything or just leaving rubbish on the ground, and the number of tents being left behind is decreasing. Event organisers are passionate about sustainability and working with us to encourage people to pack their tents for recycling after the festival or use pre-pitched tents. There is a remarkable shift in behaviour there, it’s working.”

With many events scheduled for the off season, such as, Lapland in the UK, horse-racing fixtures and festivals and a busy calendar set for their theatre, arena and stadium clients, it’s still business as usual for the team at Ryans Cleaning. Behind the scenes with less logistics and outdoor events to manage they are already busy planning and preparing for next year.  

Ms Ryan commented “This year, we had a very strong team and it was the largest number of staff we have ever employed for an entire season. We had experienced workers who have been with us for years, but we also welcomed many new faces including rising stars and new talents. It's important for Ryans Cleaning to create opportunities for talented employees to stay with us and grow within the company. We are already building a team for 2024 with a strong focus on strengthening our administrative structure at events. With the scale of operations growing annually, we must continuously innovate and optimise our processes to support that growth.”

Ryans Cleaning have also cleaned up over the last 12 months on the awards front, with Aisling Ryan winning the Family Businesswoman of the Year at the IMAGE PwC Businesswoman of the Year Awards. Ryans Cleaning also won The Cleaning Service Provider of the Year at the prestigious Irish Facilities Management Awards and the company swept the boards at the County Tipperary Chamber of Commerce Awards winning the Best in Workplace Wellbeing, Diversity and Inclusion Award, the Energy Management Leadership Award and the Overall Business of the Year Award in Tipperary.