Anxious wait as winning lotto ticket comes from Belfast

There was an anxious wait for 35 members of a 36-strong syndicate last Sunday as their €2 million winning lottery ticket travelled from Belfast.

Allen Hogan (45) had bought the ticket two days earlier in Swanlinbar, Co Cavan, on his way to the North, and he realised on Sunday morning that the syndicate had won the National Lottery jackpot the previous night.

“It was a long drive down with that piece of paper in my pocket,” he said, as he and 32 members of the syndicate collected their winnings at the lottery headquarters yesterday.

He had already rung Bernard Battles (32) that morning so he could get help verifying the ticket numbers.

“I couldn’t believe it. We had great craic that night over at Allen’s house when he finally got back from Belfast,” said Mr Battles.

The syndicate is mostly made up of workers of medical device manufacturing company VistaMed, based in Rooskey, Co Leitrim, and each member will get €55,555.55.

The syndicate has been playing the lottery for the past five years and the most they won previously was €100, said Mr Hogan.