WELL THAT'S JUST GRAND!
PRIZEWINNERS CELEBRATE SCOOPING AMAZING €10,000
THE festive spirit was in full spring and there was a real buzz in the air as the ten lucky finalists in the Drogheda Independent Cash Giveaway competition gathered in the Westcourt Hotel last Friday morning.
The finalists gathered on the podium with nervous excitement waiting to see what their winning box would reveal and after a tense couple of rounds Ardee man Martin Gilsenan (pictured) was thrilled to win the overall prize of a whopping €4,000.
Three of the other finalists, Betty Winters from Monasterboice, Jacinta Montague from Newtownstalaban and Mary Johnson from Beaulieu View scooped and fantastic €1,000.
But the remaining six finalists didn’t go home empty handed as Maureen Cunningham from Termonfeckin, Eamon Faulkner from Bettystown, Willie Smith from Congress Avenue, Patricia Colburn from Roschoill, Audrey Dyer from Marley Court and Linda Reilly from Ballsgrove were all delighted to win €500 each and promised to put the money to good use in the run up to Christmas.
Speaking just after his amazing win, Martin said: ‘I’m thrilled, I just can’t believe it. I expected the €500, that’s what I had in my head coming up and now to be walking away with this, it’s lovely.
‘I was planning what to do with the €500, now I’m thinking about a holiday.’ He said his perfect destination would be Italy.
‘I just love Italy, I’ve been over there a couple of times and if I get the chance I’ll go back there again. I love Rome and all around there so hopefully that’ll be the destination,’ he said. ‘It was going to be a quiet Christmas so we’ll see what happens now! Then when the new year comes in I’ll make a few plans and head for the sun.’
Mary Johnson said he was ‘ thrilled to bits’ with her win of €1,000.
‘I couldn’t sleep last night I was so excited. It was just what I needed, it’s not just the money, it’s really given by a boost. I was thrilled to bits. I never thought I’d make it to round two.’ She said she and husband Eamon are planning on going for a night away after Christmas. ‘I’m planning on giving us a bit of a treat. After that I don’t know.’
Betty Winters said she was ‘delighted’ with her win. ‘I walked in that door and I’m going out with a €1,000 more in my purse than I had coming in. I’m delighted with myself!’
Eamon Faulkner, meanwhile scooped his €500 windfall just in time for his birthday as the spritely pensioner will celebrate his 89th this week.
Jacinta Montague said she ‘couldn’t be happier’ with her €1,000 win. ‘I’ve never won this much before so it’s brilliant,’ she said. ‘It’s brilliant timing too just before Christmas.’