For the second time in under two years, a newsagent’s shop in Kingscourt, Co Cavan, has sold a winning National Lottery ticket.
The latest couple to buy a winning ticket in Pat’s Shop on Main Street are determined, however, that they will go ahead with their plans to emigrate to Australia.
The couple – who have asked not to be named – handed in their notices at work earlier this month. The next day they won €500,000 on the Lottery’s Daily Million Plus draw. Yesterday, as the husband and wife collected their winnings at the National Lottery offices in Dublin, they said the money would be used to pay off debts and educate their children – but they added that they would go ahead with their emigration plans.
“It’s been a tough few years and we decided to emigrate to Australia to make a better way of life,” the delighted wife said. “On Tuesday, October 9th, we both handed in our notice and then on Wednesday my husband bought the ticket. We couldn’t believe it when we found out we’d won. To us this is worth €50 million.”
The husband said: “I felt sick when I heard that the shop had sold the winning ticket. I don’t know what it was, but I just had a weird feeling that it was my ticket. I went to the house, got the ticket and went straight to the shop to check it. I was in total shock.”
In March 2011 Pat’s Shop sold a ticket to a woman who received half of a €14 million National Lottery jackpot.