When it’s time to clock out of work, most people head home, put their feet up and unwind.
Not Annmarie Naughton.
In the evenings she swaps her McDonald’s uniform for wellies and a herd of 15 Angus crosses.
Annmarie Naughton is a business manager at McDonald’s in Limerick, with responsibility for looking after operations from stock to the management of people and making sure the overall franchise goals are achieved.
“It’s a big responsibility managing a store for such a big global brand. A lot of people think it’s just burger and chips but it’s a lot more than that. Since I started with McDonald’s at a young age it’s second nature to me and they have provided plenty of training for me along the way,” she says.
“I am kept going [with everything]. But it is all a team effort. Its not just me, it’s down to the management we have, the crew we hire and the support,” she says.
Passion for farming
Annmarie’s dad David is a well-known former chairman of Limerick County Council who was farming suckler cows, sheep and horses in the early ‘90s. Heavily involved in politics, he was always balancing the two.
“It was always the case when you’re younger that you stand in the gap,” explains Annmarie.
From the minute she finished school, Annmarie started working in McDonald’s and has moved up the ranks to her current role as a business manager in Limerick.
“My mam drove me one day into the city and said you’re going for a job interview. I started working for the summer of fifth year and after my Leaving Cert. I worked there for eight years before I went travelling.”
Annmarie started as a crew member before moving into a crew trainer role helping to develop new starters and then she became a shift running manager, making sure stocks and operations are ready to go.
“It’s great that McDonald’s is so supportive of Irish beef. They source 40,000 tonnes of it every year. That’s really valuable for local farmers,” she says.
She travelled to Australia and while she was away, Annmarie’s mother Geraldine sadly passed away. She wondered what to do next.
After returning home, Annmarie went back working in McDonald’s while she completed an Emergency Medical Technician (EMT) course.
In 2013, her dad David asked her if she would be interested in taking over the farm.
“I always enjoyed the outdoors and had a great love for animals so I said, why not. I then did the Green Cert in Salesian Agricultural College, Pallaskenry for two years. After the first year I went on to do the dairy herd management course and did placement with a farmer called Richard Kennedy,” she explains.
Annmarie flipping burgers in McDonald’s Co Limerick. /Odhran Ducie
After completing placement and “getting a good education”, Annmarie stayed on and did some relief milking.
“I was never the best student; I was never the one that was in love with school.
“When I was finished the Leaving Cert, I put down the pen and went for the education of life so to speak. I never got a distinction or merit in my life until I went to the college. If you have a big interest in something, it’s easier to learn,” Annmarie remarks.
For her, the programme gave her the foundation to go off and build her own farm. In a class of 100, there was only three girls when she was in college.
“I was 28 at the time, and all the lads were only coming out of school, it was a funny environment, but they were all very helpful,” she says.
During the course, Annmarie learnt you could use the Green Cert to progress into a level 8 degree in agriculture.
“It is a brilliant gateway for a young person if they didn’t do so well in their Leaving Cert, There are always other avenues to go down to get you to where you want to be. You might have to do an extra year or two but it’s worth it,” she recommends.
“I am all hands-on deck. I worked in McDonald’s while completing my Green Cert. I would start my shift at 8pm and go home at 5am. I would then go into college and do that three nights a week for two years.”
Balancing farming and work
Although it was a busy time in her life, Annmarie loved every minute of it. The course allowed her to gain practical experience outside her own farm gate.
When she took over the farm in 2016, Annmarie started her own herd of Angus-Friesian crosses. She finds they are a quieter animal with less maintenance because there is no de-budding. She sells them at 18 months.
“When I took it over it was all outdoor farming. I remember those first winter nights going out to the field with bales of silage. The herd that I have were bucket reared them to what they are today. I’m keeping up the star rating of the herd [a quality system used in breeding] and buying in replacement heifers. Next spring, we will be calving 17,” she says.
A few years ago Annmarie put up a four-bay slatted unit which “totally transformed everything” on the farm.
“Once the grass was tight and we were into the winter months they [animals] were all inside. I put in a camera system so I could keep an eye on them if I was in work. If I saw a cow near calving I would go home calve her and make sure the calf got the first feed. I would come back to work then,” she says.
at her home farm in Ballysteen Limerick. /Odhran Ducie
Annmarie gets the cows scanned when they are in calf so she has a rough idea of when to expect them to calve. She finds technology a great advantage especially being able to do your paperwork online.
Long days
A typical week sees Annmarie work up to 38 hours at McDonald’s and another 30–35 hours on the farm, especially in the winter months when the cows need extra feed and care.
“After a long day, it’s nice to go out in the fresh air,” she says. “And at least the cows don’t talk back,” Annmarie adds, laughing.
As she spent two years balancing college work and the farm, Annmarie understands when part-time staff can only work certain days in McDonald’s.
“I will always say to students, your main commitment is your education and we come second to that, but we are here to help and to make sure we work around their timetable. We also give people the opportunity to go up the career ladder, if they have a talent and an interest, we will invest in them and help them along,
“I said to my nephew doing his Junior Cert ‘look at me’. Get your education done, it is important but it’s not the end of the world. There are other things out there for you.
“You might have to do an extra year or two but it will get you to the path you want. There is a lot of self-doubt out there but my advice is if you love something and you’re interested in it, stick at it,” Annmarie advises.
When it’s time to clock out of work, most people head home, put their feet up and unwind.
Not Annmarie Naughton.
In the evenings she swaps her McDonald’s uniform for wellies and a herd of 15 Angus crosses.
Annmarie Naughton is a business manager at McDonald’s in Limerick, with responsibility for looking after operations from stock to the management of people and making sure the overall franchise goals are achieved.
“It’s a big responsibility managing a store for such a big global brand. A lot of people think it’s just burger and chips but it’s a lot more than that. Since I started with McDonald’s at a young age it’s second nature to me and they have provided plenty of training for me along the way,” she says.
“I am kept going [with everything]. But it is all a team effort. Its not just me, it’s down to the management we have, the crew we hire and the support,” she says.
Passion for farming
Annmarie’s dad David is a well-known former chairman of Limerick County Council who was farming suckler cows, sheep and horses in the early ‘90s. Heavily involved in politics, he was always balancing the two.
“It was always the case when you’re younger that you stand in the gap,” explains Annmarie.
From the minute she finished school, Annmarie started working in McDonald’s and has moved up the ranks to her current role as a business manager in Limerick.
“My mam drove me one day into the city and said you’re going for a job interview. I started working for the summer of fifth year and after my Leaving Cert. I worked there for eight years before I went travelling.”
Annmarie started as a crew member before moving into a crew trainer role helping to develop new starters and then she became a shift running manager, making sure stocks and operations are ready to go.
“It’s great that McDonald’s is so supportive of Irish beef. They source 40,000 tonnes of it every year. That’s really valuable for local farmers,” she says.
She travelled to Australia and while she was away, Annmarie’s mother Geraldine sadly passed away. She wondered what to do next.
After returning home, Annmarie went back working in McDonald’s while she completed an Emergency Medical Technician (EMT) course.
In 2013, her dad David asked her if she would be interested in taking over the farm.
“I always enjoyed the outdoors and had a great love for animals so I said, why not. I then did the Green Cert in Salesian Agricultural College, Pallaskenry for two years. After the first year I went on to do the dairy herd management course and did placement with a farmer called Richard Kennedy,” she explains.
Annmarie flipping burgers in McDonald’s Co Limerick. /Odhran Ducie
After completing placement and “getting a good education”, Annmarie stayed on and did some relief milking.
“I was never the best student; I was never the one that was in love with school.
“When I was finished the Leaving Cert, I put down the pen and went for the education of life so to speak. I never got a distinction or merit in my life until I went to the college. If you have a big interest in something, it’s easier to learn,” Annmarie remarks.
For her, the programme gave her the foundation to go off and build her own farm. In a class of 100, there was only three girls when she was in college.
“I was 28 at the time, and all the lads were only coming out of school, it was a funny environment, but they were all very helpful,” she says.
During the course, Annmarie learnt you could use the Green Cert to progress into a level 8 degree in agriculture.
“It is a brilliant gateway for a young person if they didn’t do so well in their Leaving Cert, There are always other avenues to go down to get you to where you want to be. You might have to do an extra year or two but it’s worth it,” she recommends.
“I am all hands-on deck. I worked in McDonald’s while completing my Green Cert. I would start my shift at 8pm and go home at 5am. I would then go into college and do that three nights a week for two years.”
Balancing farming and work
Although it was a busy time in her life, Annmarie loved every minute of it. The course allowed her to gain practical experience outside her own farm gate.
When she took over the farm in 2016, Annmarie started her own herd of Angus-Friesian crosses. She finds they are a quieter animal with less maintenance because there is no de-budding. She sells them at 18 months.
“When I took it over it was all outdoor farming. I remember those first winter nights going out to the field with bales of silage. The herd that I have were bucket reared them to what they are today. I’m keeping up the star rating of the herd [a quality system used in breeding] and buying in replacement heifers. Next spring, we will be calving 17,” she says.
A few years ago Annmarie put up a four-bay slatted unit which “totally transformed everything” on the farm.
“Once the grass was tight and we were into the winter months they [animals] were all inside. I put in a camera system so I could keep an eye on them if I was in work. If I saw a cow near calving I would go home calve her and make sure the calf got the first feed. I would come back to work then,” she says.
at her home farm in Ballysteen Limerick. /Odhran Ducie
Annmarie gets the cows scanned when they are in calf so she has a rough idea of when to expect them to calve. She finds technology a great advantage especially being able to do your paperwork online.
Long days
A typical week sees Annmarie work up to 38 hours at McDonald’s and another 30–35 hours on the farm, especially in the winter months when the cows need extra feed and care.
“After a long day, it’s nice to go out in the fresh air,” she says. “And at least the cows don’t talk back,” Annmarie adds, laughing.
As she spent two years balancing college work and the farm, Annmarie understands when part-time staff can only work certain days in McDonald’s.
“I will always say to students, your main commitment is your education and we come second to that, but we are here to help and to make sure we work around their timetable. We also give people the opportunity to go up the career ladder, if they have a talent and an interest, we will invest in them and help them along,
“I said to my nephew doing his Junior Cert ‘look at me’. Get your education done, it is important but it’s not the end of the world. There are other things out there for you.
“You might have to do an extra year or two but it will get you to the path you want. There is a lot of self-doubt out there but my advice is if you love something and you’re interested in it, stick at it,” Annmarie advises.
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