Ireland’s Oldest McDonald’s Worker is January’s Cork Person of The Month
Thelma Beltran, Customer Experience Leader at McDonald’s Douglas and Ireland’s oldest McDonald’s worker, has been named Cork Person of the Month for January in recognition of her incredible longevity, kindness and positivity.
Originally from the Phillipines, Thelma first arrived in Cork in 2001 and joined the team at the Douglas restaurant as a Crew Member. In the quarter-century since, she has become a popular figure in the locality, serving countless families and becoming a familiar, welcoming face to the people of Douglas and beyond.
Thelma moves between the front counter and customer care roles, and is highly regarded by staff and customers alike for her hard work and infectious positivity. Describing Thelma’s work ethic and dedication to providing exceptional customer service as “incredible”, Jim Ronayne, McDonald’s Douglas franchisee, said that the team have been incredibly lucky to have her as a colleague and friend for 25 years.
Despite being 62, Thelma says she loves working and has no plans to retire: “I love my job. Being part of a great team, getting to know the people of Douglas and helping make our customers’ days that little bit special is really satisfying. I plan to keep working here as long as I’m enjoying it, and hopefully that’s for many more years”.
Awards Organiser Manus O’Callaghan praised Thelma’s work ethic and outlook on life: “Thelma’s commitment to putting smiles on people’s faces and providing exceptional service is outstanding. For 25 years, she has been a constant, positive presence in Douglas and has welcomed thousands of people through the doors of McDonald’s. Her journey, leaving her home country to build a life here and embed herself so seamlessly in the local community is inspiring. She’s a really worthy winner of this Cork Person of the Month Award.”
Thelma Beltran’s name will now go forward alongside the other monthly winners for possible selection as Cork Person of the Year at the Annual Gala Awards Lunch in January, 2027.
