JACKPOT WINNERS ‘PLANNING TO GO PUBLIC NEXT WEEK’
Meath family of four sisters and three brothers who won record €175m EuroMillions prize want to take a few days to let it all sink in
THE seven Irish winners of Tuesday’s huge €175million EuroMillions jackpot are expected to go public early next week, a well-placed source has said.
The family released a statement yesterday saying that being able to share their joy with their children and grandchildren was the best part of the enormous win.
And the Meath-based clan are said to be happy to go public once they have had a few days to collect themselves.
One of the winners said they were ‘numb’ when they checked the numbers – and had a tough job convincing the
other family members that they were the biggest lottery winners in Irish history. A family spokesperson said: ‘We are a very close family. We meet every week and we take holidays together every year.
‘This is a dream come true for us. We don’t want this to change our lives. What is so exciting is that we will be able to share this money with children, grandchildren and extended family members.’
The spokesperson also revealed the moment they discovered they had landed the big jackpot.
‘I heard on the RTÉ News that there was a win in Ireland and I caught the last three numbers,’ they said.
‘I checked the numbers online. I was numb. It took a bit of convincing everybody that we had won.’
Their decision to go public next week follows a series of talks between the National Lottery and the syndicate, who were celebrating with friends and family yesterday – but keeping a low profile from the media. The National Lottery advised them to relax and carry on with their daily routines.
Two members of the syndicate were ‘extremely calm’ as they went about their daily business in their
‘They were perfectly calm’
local shop yesterday morning, despite each winning a €25million share of the prize the night before. The seven winners, whom locals say are ‘modest’ and ‘well liked’, scooped the biggest lottery win in Irish history on Tuesday night.
They are a group of siblings – three brothers and four sisters – originally from Naul in north Dublin, where some of them continue to live. Others have moved to the nearby villages of Duleek and Bellewstown in Co. Meath.
Last night, one man who knows the family very well said two of the siblings were in the local shop at around 10am yesterday, and appeared very relaxed despite their huge win. He said: ‘They came into the shop at around 10 o’clock and by then people had started hearing they had won.
‘Sure, how do you keep something as big as that quiet, especially when it’s a big family?
‘I said to one of the women, “Did you not scoop the big win last night?” and she shrugged and laughed, and said, “What are you on about?” – but she was saying nothing more. They were perfectly calm, as if nothing had happened.
‘If it was me, I think I would drop dead with excitement or shock. Everyone in the area was talking about it but they played it right down. It didn’t work for them, though – everyone knows!’
He added that the winners are ‘really decent – they will do the right thing and look after all their family’. Another local, who said they are related to the family, revealed: ‘They rang the Lotto headquarters [yesterday] morning and they were told to “stay calm”, but I don’t know how they did that. How can you stay calm with €175million? It’s no joke. They are the nicest family and the very best of luck to them.’
The winning ticket was sold in the Daybreak shop in Naul, and the National Lottery confirmed the person who contacted its headquarters was ‘surprisingly calm’.
Yesterday, Miriam Donohoe from the National Lottery told RTÉ’s Today With Seán O’Rourke show that the person who contacted the office was able to give a unique serial number from the ticket.
Following the big news, there was a huge air of excitement yesterday in the tiny village of Duleek in Co. Meath, around 5km where the winning ticket was sold.
Even up until 8pm last night, stunned locals were talking about it in their local shop. And in the
modest housing estate where one of the winners lives, a large number of reporters sat in their cars waiting to catch a glimpse of one of the new millionaires. The entire terrace where she lives was in darkness, but drivers passing her house were staring and smiling out their car windows at they drove by.
Yesterday, the owner of the Daybreak shop that sold the lucky ticket popped bottles of champagne with National Lottery staff and did media interviews all day.
Les Reilly said he had been left ‘speechless’ by the news and couldn’t imagine what he would do if he had won the money himself.
‘I wouldn’t have a clue where to start but the world would be your oyster,’ he said. ‘You could do and go anywhere. It’s just so much money. I am buzzing, I am absolutely buzzing. I found out around 10am or 10.30am [yesterday]. The National Lottery rang me, they said, “Les, can you talk?” I said “yeah, of course” and they said, “Congratulations, you sold the biggest ever jackpot in Ireland”. For once in my life I was stuck for words.’
Local Mary Gilligan said she left Naul Seniors Club to come to the shop and celebrate after hearing the news. She said: ‘I can’t believe it, it’s unreal.
‘I heard so many rumours: it was in Bellewstown, it was in the Naul, it was in Duleek. I thought it was me, I am so lucky. I’m only joking – I’ve done well in the bingo. I’ve won €100, that’s my biggest win.
‘I do the Lotto every week. I wish the winners the best of luck but I don’t know who they are.’
Her friend Bridie O’Connor, also from Naul, said: ‘It is wonderful news, we are going to stay here in the shop and have fun with everyone. I found out [yesterday] morning – I came straight down to the shop after being in the seniors club. I never seen so many photographers and reporters.
‘I wish the winners the best of luck. Spend it wisely, I say to them. I’d say they are in shock.’
Left ‘speechless’ by the news