|
|
Kathleen's off to bingo despite
€2.6m win
05.12.11
by Linda McGrory
IRELAND'S latest millionaire went to her weekly
bingo in Buncrana as usual last night despite
scooping a whopping €2.6m in the Lotto.
Kathleen McLaughlin (77) from Carrickamaquigley,
Redcastle, celebrated at tea-time with her large
family before catching the bus to the parish bingo
in St Mary's Hall. The cool-as-a-cucumber pensioner
wasn't at all fazed by her huge win. |
"I don't know what to
make of it really. If I had got it 40 years ago it
would have been better use to me than getting it now
at my age," she laughed. "But I'm happy for the
family."
The mother of eight and grandmother of 28, checked
her ticket, as usual, on the teletext shortly after
9am on Sunday.
"I seemed to have too many right numbers and I
thought 'this cannot be right' so I called my
daughter, Eileen. I told her to put on the
television and call the numbers out to me.
"She said 'You've won the Lotto Mammy. I'll be right
down'."
Kathleen, a retired home help, lives in a modest
bungalow with her husband, Robbie, a retired small
farmer. Her €2,642,046 scoop was the biggest ever
National Lottery win in the Moville-Greencastle
area. She won it with a €4 Quick Pick purchased at
Farren's newsagents, Moville. The winning numbers
were 4, 12, 14, 16, 21, 34 with the bonus, 22. |
 |
|
A relaxed Kathleen McLaughlin (Craig)
just hours after learning she is Ireland's latest
Lotto millionaire. |
Proprietor Denis Foynes
and his wife, Patricia, were "ecstatic" after their
customer's win.
Despite her massive windfall, Kathleen has no plans
to change house or even take a holiday.
"I'll not be changing house, no way. I was on a
plane once in my life and never again. I'll not be
going on a holiday that's for sure." She was even
more certain about her favourite hobby. |
 |
|
Farren's newsagents proprietors,
Denis and Patricia Foynes, family and staff,
celebrate Kathleen McLaughlin's €2.6m win after she
purchased a €4 Quick Pick in their Moville store. |
"I wouldn't give up my
bingo for all the hundreds or thousands in the
world. Bingo is my favourite thing and I'll be going
again tonight," she beamed on Sunday evening.
Despite suffering the tragic death of her eldest
son, Patrick (34), in a road accident in Galway some
20 years ago, Kathleen considers herself lucky to
have most of her grown-up children living nearby.
"They are all very good to me," she added. The
McLaughlin family are Eileen, Catherine, Paul,
Michael, Gerard, Shaun and Dan Joe.
"The most I ever won on the bingo was about €600 and
if I'm honest, I think I would have preferred a big
win in the bingo...I could manage it better,"
laughed Kathleen, as she headed off to her weekly
game in the hope of winning the rollover snowball of
€6,000. |
|
