Hoteliers to revamp respite home

Expert hoteliers and presenters of RTÉ’s hit television series At Your Service, Francis and John Brennan, are going to revamp a respite centre used by one of their biggest fans next month.

In a special Christmas edition of the show, the Brennan brothers will come to the aid of Conor Dillon, 16, and the charity CASA (Caring and Sharing Association).

Conor, from Swords, Co Dublin, uses CASA’s respite centre in Malahide, Co Dublin, and the Brennans are going to renovate it in just five days.

The brothers have a list of items they need for the revamp and are hoping businesses and individuals will donate them.

They also need volunteers to work on the project. They already have a great team of tradespeople, but more hands are welcome.

During an interview on RTÉ radio yesterday, the brothers said Conor wrote to them after the first episode of At Your Service.

John told Miriam O’Callaghan that Conor wrote the nicest of letters, but one full of devilment as well. A relationship between the brothers and the teenager developed, with Conor writing to the Brennans after every episode of At Your Service, even when the series finished up.

“He has a CASA respite home where he goes three times a year and he wrote to us recently asking if we could do anything with the place as it was a bit run down,” said John.

The Brennans said they were going to do up the 1970s building next month, from Nov 11-15.

The brothers are also going to assist the restaurant run by CASA — the 1014 in Clontarf, Dublin — and a number of the charity’s shops across the country.

* Those wanting to help with the renovation project can contact [e-mail] or call 048 90427646.