44 years in the same job, aged 72, but this Cork woman has no notions of retiring

FOR many of us, our first summer job was waitressing in our local restaurant. Not many of us, though, kept up that same job for more than four decades like Ann Cronin did.

“I moved to Youghal from Aglish, County Waterford, more than 50 years ago,” says Ann, who has worked as a waitress in Aherne’s Townhouse and Seafood Bar in the East Cork town for nearly 44 years.

Like a lot of young mothers moving to a new town, Ann decided she’d like to get a job to broaden her horizons.

“My two sons were young, and I wanted to do something,” she says

“A friend of mine suggested that I go into Aherne’s and ask them for a job.”

The interview went well, and Ann was offered a job straight away.

“Jerry Fitzgibbon interviewed me, and his wife, Betty, asked me how soon could I start?” recalls Ann, laughing.

The Aherne family ran the family business in the main street since 1923. It was originally set up as a traditional shop and pub, selling everything from a pint of Guinness to a pound of butter, run by Madge and Jimmy Aherne.

The second generation, their daughter Betty Aherne, married army officer Gerry Fitzgibbon and together they started Aherne’s Seafood Restaurant, specialising in the freshest of locally caught seafood.

Their sons John and David Fitzgibbon built on the bedroom. David is the head chef and he, along with his brother David, run Aherne’s with their wives Katie and Gaye.

Earlier this year, when I called into Aherne’s for a bowl of seafood chowder, I was fascinated to hear that Ann was working in the restaurant for more than four decades.

She recalled meeting Gerry and Betty Fitzgibbon back in the day.

“I went in one Wednesday with no waitressing experience at all,” says Ann.

“Betty and Gerry interviewed me. They developed the business after taking it over from Betty’s mother Madge.”

Betty and Gerry were impressed with Ann and with her enthusiasm.

“I was asked to start that evening.”

Over time, Ann, aged 72, went on to work for the Fitzgibbons’ sons John and David.

They became like a second family to Ann.

“The whole family were so nice to me and so welcoming,” she says. 

I felt at home straight away. We all get on great and the family are always there for me.

Ann slotted in from day one.

“My first job was chopping parsley in the kitchen,” she says.

“My job developed from there, and I got involved in the kitchen, making desserts, pastries and brown bread. I worked in the evenings as a waitress. I often worked in the mornings as well, making chicken liver paté in the kitchen.

“I learned how to bake in Aherne’s,” says Ann.

“I was mad to do everything inside there. The bottom rung of the ladder was never for me. When I worked in Youghal Carpets I began as a filing clerk and rose up to the post of secretary.”

I tell Ann that when I spoke to the late Derek Davis, who loved to fish in East Cork, he said he always made a point to going to Aherne’s for the fabulous seafood.

“Derek was very nice, a real gentleman,” says Ann.

“He was often in and out of here for his lunch or dinner.”

Ann rubbed shoulders with the great and the good.

“I had the pleasure of serving former president Mary Robinson,” she says. “She is a lovely lady and so friendly.”

What was the most popular item on the menu over the years?

“Prawns in garlic,” says Ann without hesitation.

“The prawns come from Helvic in Ring. People came from all over the country for them.

“My own personal favourite is turbot.”

How does Ann, in the hospitality service for more than 45 years, define good service?

“You should acknowledge your customers, seat them, give them a menu, give them bread, butter and water and serve them a drink. 

People are quite happy to order their food after you’ve done that.

How have dining trends changed over the years?

“People eat earlier in the day now, post-pandemic,” says Ann.

“They have a glass of wine, whereas before there would have been a bottle for the table.

“Today, parents dining out are often accompanied by their children, which wasn’t typical ten or twenty years ago.”

Does Ann get tipped often?

“The average tips are around 10%,” says Ann.

“You have to take the good with the bad! The tips are spread among all the staff.

“Aherne’s used to open seven days a week, but now closes on Mondays and Tuesdays.

“I go to work for 5pm and the restaurant opens for 6pm with bar food available from noon.”

Why has Ann stayed working so long at Aherne’s?

“I am treated like a family member here,” says Ann.

“I get on well with people and I like dealing with people.

She has a good relationship with her employers.

“My employers trust me 100 per cent,” says Ann.

“When I was out for eight weeks after having a hip replacement, there wasn’t a day went by without one of the family calling or contacting me to see if I needed anything.”

Ann has great job satisfaction.

“I couldn’t think of changing and working for somebody else now.”

The town of Youghal has changed over the years, with some of its patrons departed.

“We still have our usual regular customers from Dungarvan, East Cork and Cork city,” says Ann.

People came and went.

“So many factories went in the town over the years, like Youghal Carpets, Seafield Fabrics, and Blackwater Cottons, a lot of our customers are gone,” says Ann.

How do new customers differ to the old ones?

“I think people are fussier now about their food,” says Ann.

“Of course, the price of dining out has gone up considerably over the years as well.

“The hospitality industry is a hard industry, you’d really have to like it to continue working in it for years,” she adds.

Ann, with no thoughts of retiring, will continue working at Aherne’s for many more years.

“I have no notion of retiring,” she insists. “Even though I am 73 this year!

When the day comes that I can’t do a full days’ work, then I might think about retiring.

“Right now, I am happy out in a job that I love.”