Laethanta Saoire: Rónán Hession on burgers, baking, and his other summer jobs 

Rónán Hession spent various summers flipping burgers and filling apple tarts, but at least there was a redemption of sorts when a kindly Christian Brother began recommending some reading material 

Rónán Hession is one of the authors attending West Cork Literary Festival. 

My summer jobs had always been arduous. Arduous and badly paid.

In McDonald’s, I wrapped burgers, wiped tables, unloaded pallets and got grease burns on my fingers. I often started early, travelling by the first bus, which was always packed. The worst paid start early. My pay rate then – before the national minimum wage was introduced – was £2.30 per each long hour. I had to pass three interviews to get the job and was eventually hired because I could play football for the restaurant’s team in the McDonald’s league.