At Your Service stars John and Francis Brennan have told RTÉ One's Today about the time they became involved with the catering for Pope John Paul II's visit to Ireland in September 1979.
Speaking ahead of the start of the new series of At Your Service on Sunday, Francis Brennan explained to Today hosts Maura Derrane and Dáithí Ó Sé that his brother Damien was asked by the local parish priest to do the catering at Knock for the Pope's visit.
Francis Brennan said that he and his brother John went up to Knock to help - and he brought the cash register from Cork with him.
"We had JCBs, sewerage, electricity, you name it. We built a site!" he recounted.
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"On the day, the Gardaí changed the entry to our site, put the people down main street! They were all meant to come through our premises, they were all corralled, and we ended up digging! I remember with the JCB!
"Eighty refuse sacks full of chicken sandwiches, ham sandwiches, chickens, 80 bags - and I say three Hail Marys every time I go through Knock since.
"We buried our life. We were only youngsters. I think we lost £42,000... it was savage money. I took a loan out from the bank, South Mall here [in Cork]. I took a loan out and paid it back over the years".
At Your Service returns to RTÉ One and the RTÉ Player this Sunday at 7:30pm.
Today, RTÉ One and the RTÉ Player, weekdays, 3:30pm
