Irish EuroMillions winners all made same surprising decision after landing fortune
They say home is where the heart is but would this still be the case if you suddenly had tens of millions in your bank account? Perhaps that is a question the most recent Irish EuroMillions winner will have to ponder after they scooped a record-breaking €250million jackpot last month.
The so far anonymous person has since made contact to the National Lottery to put the guessing game to bed. A spokesperson said: 'We are absolutely thrilled to have heard from our EuroMillions winner. At this point, our priority is to give them the necessary time and space to make arrangements and let this life-changing news sink in.'
And while they let the news sink in, they may be seeking inspiration from previous winners who spoke on the record, to see how they managed their fortunes. With this in mind, below we look at three case studies who all decided to stay close to home with their new funds.
Matt Rogers
(Image: PA)
Dublin farmer Matt Rogers was once the record holder after claiming an astonishing €175.4million on the EuroMillions in February 2019 alongside his eight siblings.
But rather than let the money go to his head, Matt and his siblings cherished the simple things in life, and celebrated with a €12.50 carvery.
Minted Matt, who treated himself to a Peugeot SUV, also decided to remain at home in the farmhouse in Naul where he grew up with his siblings. He had the site renovated, but while the work was being done, he lived in an outbuilding, despite being able to afford anywhere he wanted.
Speaking about staying true to his roots, he told the Irish Sun: 'Things are perfect here. This is where I grew up. I have no intentions at all of moving. The green house keeps me busy.'
He added: 'It all started with the original house. Eleven of us used to live in there. It was just a bare shell there. I have renovated it all and I'm happy with how it has turned out.'
As for advice to the latest winner, he encouraged them to stay 'grounded' and that hopefully they 'enjoy the money' and it is 'well split up'.
Dolores McNamara
Dolores McNamara was once a part-time cleaner who was in her local pub in Limerick, The Track Bar, when she learned her lucky lottery numbers had made her €115million richer 20 years ago this month.
(Image: PA)
And similar to Matt, Dolores felt no great desire to move to the Bahamas. Instead she bought a property in neighbouring County Clare.
The extravagant Lough Derg Hall set her back €1.75m and proving that home really is where the heart is, she even bought six houses in the Limerick area for her six children.
However, staying local after winning an incredible amount of cash had dark consequences, and Dolores, now 64, had to buy 24/7 security at her home.
This was because of kidnapping threats and her son, his partner, and their child had to relocate to a private location after a sinister plot where a local gang were reportedly planning an abduction.
Despite celebrating the 20th anniversary of her win this month, she has only given one newspaper interview, and she once told the Limerick Leader: 'The question that has been asked of me most frequently was how I felt about my win and my answer is still the same - I feel disbelief and shock. Buying a ticket for that Euro jackpot was a spur of the moment decision. I'd actually gone into the shop to buy a top-up for my phone and just asked the lady for a Lotto ticket.'
Margaret Loughrey
In Northern Ireland we have the poignant case of Margaret Loughrey, from Strabane, who won £27million (approx €31m) in 2013.
(Image: BBC)
She was 48, divorced and had just been to the job centre when she purchased a Lucky Dip EuroMillions ticket, a decision she later said 'destroyed' her life.
She was living off £71 a week at the time in her modest two-bedroom bungalow, and this is where she ended up passing away eight years later.
Despite struggling to cope with the money, she demonstrated her generosity in various ways in her local community, where she decided to remain.
Margaret used her winnings to renovate a dilapidated property and to build a £1million home beside her bungalow. However, she eventually returned to her simpler bungalow, with her brother suggesting the new home, resembling a fantasy from Grand Designs, was overwhelming for her.
And that is where her family say she died of natural causes following an illness in 2021.
(Image: GOOGLE MAPS)
But before her untimely death, Margaret served her community, and reportedly covered the funeral costs for a financially struggling family while also funding medical procedures for other locals.
And Grainne Dunne, from Knockavoe School, said Margaret made a big donation to help the children with special needs there. Grainne added: 'She came to see us a couple of years ago and soon after we received a very substantial donation. She was a modest woman.'
A worker at New Horizons, which supports adults with intellectual disabilities, also said they had been given a 'substantial sum' from Margaret who also gave her siblings £1m each.
And councillor Paul Gallagher, who was a neighbour of hers, said after her death: ' Covid has put a mighty strain on charities. She had her troubles but Margaret has helped with the survival of these groups and those benefits will be felt for a long, long time to come.'
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