It may only have been a brief 20-minute visit, but it took several days of security checks and sweeps before McAteers Food House in Dundalk was deemed safe for US President Joe Biden's eagerly anticipated arrival.
Secret Service agents conducted body scans on staff and were accompanied by sniffer dogs, according to co-owner Jerome McAteer.
Jerome and his husband Bobby Wain run the deli-restaurant which is located on Clanbrassil Street in Dundalk.
Crowds of people who had braved the wind and rain to get a glimpse of the 46th President of the United States, burst into cheers and applause as Mr Biden emerged from 'The Beast' upon his arrival in the town.
Flanked by heavy security, he spent some time chatting to onlookers and posing for selfies before making his way into McAteers Food House.
Shortly after Mr Biden left the deli-restaurant, Jerome spoke to RTÉ's Morning Ireland about the excitement and nerves surrounding the visit.
He described how Secret Service agents secured the building the previous day.
"They were sweeping for bombs and stuff last night. Took control of the building last night actually, of the shop itself. And then it was on lock down.
"We weren't allowed open today which we were happy with because of the visit."
He described how extra security was drafted in yesterday ahead of Mr Biden's arrival, while staff were also screened.
"There was more security from the American side today with sniffer dogs and stuff. That was done three or four times and we were all scanned.
"We had the place all ready. I think we were meant to have ten minutes, but I think he stayed 20 or 25 because he is just so easy going."
Jerome said Mr Biden took time to speak to staff members and he also "took a shine" to his mother.
"He talked to all the staff, took lots of selfies.
"My mom was here, he took a shine to her, kept holding her hand, we were all getting a bit jealous, it was really funny."
Mr Biden and Jerome spoke about their shared love of rescue dogs.
"We do a lot of work with Dundalk Dog Rescue, and he is big into rescuing dogs, so we talked a lot about dog rescues and stuff.
Jerome described how Mr Biden did not rush his visit and when urged by members of his entourage to finish with proceedings, he didn't seem keen to leave.
"He just kept talking to people. They kept wanting to go but he said 'no, I want to stay, I want to stay.'
"He was so at ease with himself and with everybody... as soon as he came through the door, he went up to Patricia who works behind the shop at the front and he said 'give me your phone Patricia' and he started taking selfies and that was it, he set the tone for everything."
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After being ushered out of the premises, Mr Biden's motorcade travelled the short distance to the nearby Windsor Bar and Restaurant in Dundalk where he was greeted by Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs Micheál Martin, members of his family and local politicians.
The owner of Windsor Bar and Restaurant Donal McGeough said he was only told on Monday that a visit by Mr Biden, was a possibility.
Speaking on RTÉ's Today with Claire Byrne, Mr McGeough said the pub's Ukrainian chef, Max, got to meet Mr Biden.
This was the best bit, next to him meeting my mother, he said.
"As President Biden made his way past the counter Max leaned across - it was almost one of those security moments where we thought someone's going to get shot - because he leaned across and sort of grabbed his hand."
As soon as I said Max was Ukrainian, the President stopped in his tracks and made his way in behind the counter, Donal explained.
Later, he said, Mr Biden met his son, Sebastian, and his mother.
He said that the President and his mother embraced and talked like "a brother and sister at a wedding".
"When he saw me mother, he just went straight to her. As in, this is the most important person in the room and he went straight to her first."
Donal became emotional as he told the programme that his mother told Mr Biden that her husband, who died two years ago, would have loved to be there.
Mr Biden told her about his wife who died, he said.
As Mr Biden was leaving the pub later, he went back to my mother and wished her well, he said.
