Celebrations underway as Cork Centra react to selling €250million EuroMillions ticket
Celebrations are underway for the Cork Centra that sold the mind-boggling €250million EuroMillions ticket.
The life-changing sum, the biggest jackpot in the history of the competition, was sold in Clifford's Centra on Shandon Street in Cork City Centre on the Tuesday draw (June 17).
Celebrations kicked off at the store on Friday afternoon, with store owner Ted Clifford saying that they were surprised to sell a winning ticket just months after they sold a Millionaire's Raffle ticket, which was worth a massive €100,000. Celebrations are underway for the Cork Centra that sold the mind-boggling €250million EuroMillions ticket. Pic: Mac Innes Photography
'This is just fantastic news, it is hard to believe it,' Mr Clifford said. 'We are delighted to have sold this golden ticket to one of our customers. We already sold a winning Millionaire Raffle ticket on New Year's Eve just gone, worth €100,000, so that must have been the start of our winning streak.
'On behalf of our Centra team, it's an honour to be part of this historic moment. We are here on Shandon Street for 95 years and am so proud to be the 3rd generation owner of Clifford's. We send our warmest congratulations to the winner and their family.'
Cian Murphy, CEO of the National Lottery, also celebrated the massive win, saying that this has been a historic moment for both the lotto and country Shane Kenny (right), National Lottery, alongside store manager Simon and the team at Clifford's Centra on Shandon Street in Cork city centre. Pic: Mac Innes Photography
'We are delighted to announce Clifford's Centra as the location to have sold the €250 Million EuroMillions winning ticket,' Mr Murphy said. 'This is a truly historic moment for the National Lottery and for the country.
'Not only does it mark the 18th EuroMillions jackpot win in Ireland, but also Ireland's biggest ever Jackpot win. We extend our heartfelt congratulations to the winner and our sincere thanks to Ted, Simon and all at Clifford's Centra for being part of this unforgettable milestone.'
The winner of the life changing sum has contacted the National Lottery to make arrangements to collect their prize, but there's no word on who they are just yet.
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Dublin Live
4 hours ago
- Dublin Live
€250m EuroMillions winners stay undercover as store celebrates huge jackpot
Our community members are treated to special offers, promotions and adverts from us and our partners. You can check out at any time. More info Shandon Street in Cork was buzzing with excitement this morning as Clifford's Centra staff celebrated with confetti and bubbly, having played a part in the record-breaking Irish Lottery Jackpot win. While the shop is set to receive a cool €25,000 for selling the winning ticket of Tuesday's EuroMillions draw, the identity of the lucky winner or winners remains a mystery, sparking a flurry of speculation in the Rebel County. Locals told Cork Beo. today there are rumours of a local syndicate scooping the massive jackpot, but a National Lottery spokesperson has said they can't confirm any details just yet. The spokesperson said: "To be clear, all we know at the moment is one person has made contact with us, we've verified the ticket and now they have 90 days to come forward." The spokesperson added: "We don't know if it's an individual or syndicate, we only refer to them as a player, because even in the case of a syndicate winning, it's only ever the one person that comes forward on behalf of the syndicate." What's likely to happen next is that the winner or members of the winning group will make their way to the National Lottery HQ in Dublin to claim their windfall within the 90-day timeframe. Should they opt for anonymity, the National Lottery may issue a brief announcement confirming that the prize has been claimed by an unnamed individual or a representative of a syndicate. (Image: CorkBeo) A local resident proposed an intriguing theory on Shandon Street this morning, noting that the Centra is conveniently located next to a funeral home that frequently hosts large removals - and mourners visiting Shandon Street often pop into the neighbouring Centra. Elaine Cannon said: 'My Mam had the idea that it might have been someone at a removal next door, because a lot of the time people go in there to buy lottery tickets" she said, adding: "It's not me, I've never bought a lotto ticket in my life!" Regardless of who the winner is, there was much jubilation at Clifford's Centra on Shandon Street this morning when it was announced that they were the fortunate shop that sold the winning ticket. The excitement reached fever pitch when the National Lottery team dropped by to congratulate the staff, snap some glamorous photos and adorn the shop front with decorations. Local residents quickly joined in the festivities - speculating about the identity of the lucky winner and pondering what they would do with a life-altering €250m jackpot. Naturally, the staff at Clifford's Centra also chimed in with their thoughts. Anne O'Sullivan, a cashier at the shop for over 26 years, said: "Hearing it was won around the area was fantastic, I don't care who won it, as long a it was won around the area. It doesn't make any difference but I hope a syndicate won it, it's too much money for one person? "What would I do with the money? I'd have to book in somewhere and get someone to advise me, I've a big family and I'd want to make them all happy." Meanwhile, others expressed their worries that landing such an enormous sum could lead to trouble. Local man, Daniel Heffernan, said: "I hope it's a syndicate as that amount of money would destroy people. How would you hide it if you won? You couldn't still go around driving a Toyota Corolla. But it's great for Shandon Street, I'm delighted it was won here." This extraordinary triumph is a first for the Rebel County, setting a record for the biggest pot ever scooped in Ireland since the EuroMillions began back in 2004. This spectacular win also makes it the 18th time an Irish ticket has clinched the EuroMillions jackpot. Join our Dublin Live breaking news service on WhatsApp. Click this link to receive your daily dose of Dublin Live content. We also treat our community members to special offers, promotions, and adverts from us and our partners. If you don't like our community, you can check out any time you like. If you're curious, you can read our Privacy Notice . For all the latest news from Dublin and surrounding areas visit our homepage.
Irish Examiner
5 hours ago
- Irish Examiner
Cork's Shandon Street buzzes with rumours after €250m EuroMillions win — but local legend says 'not me!'
The luckiest man on Cork's historic Shandon Street had to set the record straight as the rumour mill went into overdrive about Ireland's largest-ever €250m EuroMillions winner. Christy Forde, who has run his Shandon Upholstery business on the street for almost half a century, said that despite his remarkable winning streak in recent months, he did not hit the jackpot this time. 'Sure I'd have had a heart attack if I'd won that amount,' he said. As celebrations erupted in Clifford's Centra on Shandon Street — the shop that sold the winning €250m EuroMillions ticket for last Tuesday's draw — Christy became the focus of intense speculation. He had previously won the Millionaire Raffle, buying the winning ticket at Clifford's last Christmas and gifting it. The €100,000 prize remained local, he confirmed. He also recently won the church lotto and a soccer club raffle. But on Friday, Christy admitted he enjoyed fuelling the EuroMillions rumour mill — with a twinkle in his eye. 'When I heard it was won in Ireland, I went into Clifford's on Wednesday to check my ticket,' he revealed. 'We didn't know at that stage that the winning ticket was sold in Cork, or even in Clifford's. "I queued up and there was a crowd behind me and the staff checked my ticket, and when they gave it back to me, I shouted 'yes! yes!' and the whole place was stunned. But sure, if I'd won it at that stage, I'd have had a heart attack on the spot. 'So when it confirmed on Friday that it was sold in Clifford's, I thought, here's my chance — get famous. I'm famous on Shandon Street already,y but not all over Ireland. They know I'm a lucky man, so I went up to the top of the lane, and got out my ticket for the next draw, and said 'oh, me heart is thumping'. Christy Forde, of Shandon Upholstery, the luckiest man on Shandon Street, Cork, who had to come clean to deny rumours he is Ireland's largest ever EuroMillions jackpot winner. 'Someone told me to sit down, and asked did I want some water, and if I was alright. Now, I never said I'd won it, but my intention was that Christy Forde would go sky high. 'But it wasn't me. Whoever it was, the blessings of God on them. They should do what I would do — they should keep working. If I won it, I wouldn't work at all on Saturday mornings, I'd take Saturday mornings off.' The jaw-dropping €250 million jackpot sets the record for the largest prize ever won in Ireland. It marks the 18th EuroMillions jackpot win in Ireland since the game began in 2004 and the 13th National Lottery millionaire of 2025. Store owner Ted Clifford said it was still hard to believe his shop had sold the winning ticket. 'We are here on Shandon Street for 95 years and am so proud to be the third generation owner of Clifford's. We send our warmest congratulations to the winner and their family,' he said. Just up the road, second-generation cobbler Martin Duggan advised the winner to take their time and let the scale of the win sink in. 'I've heard a few rumours of people buying a few rounds of drinks in the local pubs, but they're only rumours," he said. "It's a mind-boggling amount of money. If it was a syndicate, I think it would be known already so it looks like it's a single winner. 'I think it's someone local, and we're delighted. It's great for the shop, it's great for the street." National Lottery chief executive Cian Murphy described the moment as historic for both the National Lottery and the country, and a day of celebration for the community served by Clifford's. 'We are very well-versed in managing this. We advise all winners to sign the back of their ticket, keep their ticket safe and bring it to National Lottery HQ,' he said. 'We also advise them to get independent financial advice and independent legal advice. 'This is a life-changing amount of money, and it's very important that people get that advice.' If the winner or winners choose to remain anonymous, Murphy added, the National Lottery would support them in maintaining their privacy. Rumours were swirling across Leeside — that it's a family from Blarney, a 10-person syndicate on the northside, or a group of friends working in a pharmachem company. One man, said to be in a 'winning syndicate,' denied the claim. 'And even if I did win, I wouldn't go public and here's why. I have loads of enemies, and I want to keep it that way,' he joked.
The Irish Sun
6 hours ago
- The Irish Sun
‘Convinced it was wind-up' says Cork shop boss who sold €250m EuroMillions ticket as winner ID frenzy hits fever pitch
THE record-breaking €250m winning EuroMillions ticket was sold at Clifford's Centra on Shandon Street in Cork, as the manager admitted: "I was convinced it was a wind-up." Crowds gathered outside Clifford's, which has been open since 1930, as the green 5 Clifford's Centra celebrated selling Ireland's biggest ever EuroMillions jackpot ticket Credit: Mac Innes Photography 5 Celebrations were in full swing at Clifford's Centra Credit: Pic Daragh Mc Sweeney/Provision Excited store manager Simon Champ somehow managed to drop one of the bottles on the pavement, spraying the drink everywhere to great amusement. But no one had any idea who the lucky Irish Lottery Manager, Cian Murphy, said: 'A win of this size is life-changing. 'It is a celebration for the Lottery, the shop, the community and the winner. It is fantastic as it makes someone's dream come true'. READ MORE ON LOTTO NEWS But he said if winners do not want their identities revealed, the Lottery ensures that the name does not get out into the public arena. He said they were unable to contact the owner Ted Clifford to inform him his Centra store had sold the winning ticket, but they did tell the store manager Simon Champ, who initially reacted with disbelief. Once convinced by the caller that it was true he was delighted. Long-time customer Noreen Kenny, who lives across the road from the store, said she was thrilled for everyone. Most read in Money She has been shopping since she was a small child and revealed this was the third generation member to run the store. The 76-year-old beamed: 'I am so delighted for them, Ted is such a dote. Penneys 'Lotto Lovelies' collect huge cheque at National Lottery HQ "He is lovely as are all his staff who just can't do enough to help customers. 'If you have heavy things they get the young fellas to bring them over for you. "Or people getting their packs of coal are helped home with it. 'The shop is well worth supporting. It has been here for donkey's years.' Noreen said that she posed in a press photo with staff as champagne corks were popping. She laughed and said: 'If any one sees me on the telly they will think I won it. "I did the Lotto and won €5 and I've just done it now for Friday. 'I do hope the winner is someone that needs it. I hope they will help the homeless with it.' 'TOO MUCH' One of the longest serving staff members is Anne O'Sullivan, who has been at Clifford's for over 26 years, and said she hopes a syndicate has won the millions as the amount is too much money for one person. She explained: 'It's fantastic and if it is a local person that's great but if it's a syndicate and the money is shared it would change many people's lives. 'In any case I hope it is someone we know who needs it. 'We open at 6am every morning. There is a lot of people coming from working and going to work who do the lottery. It could be a syndicate. We don't know.' COMMUNITY BUZZ Manager at Clifford's, Simon Champ, said: 'The reaction to the big win at the shop has been 'nuts.' 'The community here is beeping their horns. They are waving at us. There is so much excitement around the community. It is great. 'We have had business owners up and down the street coming over and congratulating us and shaking our hands. 'We have had customers congratulating us. It is great. Shandon Street is part of the city centre but there is a real community around here as well. 'It is a wonderful part of Simon said they have no idea as to the identity of the winner or even when the winning ticket was sold. He added: 'I have no clue. I know it wasn't me anyway. "I got a call on the way home from work yesterday to say that we had sold the winning ticket. It was late yesterday when I found out about it. 'I was convinced it was a wind-up but then they sounded pretty certain. 'Today is about the excitement. We are obviously delighted for the person who won it. "And we just want to enjoy the moment with our customers and our staff.' Over 30 people are employed at the store and plans are underway to have a big celebration in the coming weeks. Irish EuroMillions jackpot winners HERE's all the Irish EuroMillions jackpot winners to date. 1. July 2005: Dolores McNamara from Limerick, was Ireland's first and biggest EuroMillions winner scooping over €115 million. 2. July 2008: A lucky player from Co. Tipperary won a €15 million jackpot with a ticket bought in Carrick-on-Suir in Co Tipperary. 3. June 2009: A family syndicate shared the jackpot with a British winner, taking home over €29.4 million with a ticket they purchased in Dublin. 4. June 2013: A winning ticket sold in Beaumount, Dublin, shared a EuroMillions jackpot worth over €187 million. A Dublin player earned half of the jackpot and picked up over €93 million. 5. September 2013: A young man from the South East shared a jackpot of over €25 million with a player in Spain, taking home over €12.8 million. 6. April 2014: A jackpot prize worth €15 million was claimed on a ticket sold in Castlebar, Co Mayo. 7. September 2014: An €86.7 million jackpot was won by a syndicate from Dublin. The ticket was sold in Centra, Ballybrack, Co. Dublin. 8. January 2016: A syndicate of friends won over €66 million, splitting the jackpot of €132,376,632. The ticket was sold in Eason's store, Fairgreen Shopping Centre, Carlow. 9. July 2016: 22 colleagues from Dublin Bus won the €23.8 million. The ticket was sold in O'Hanlon's Portarlington. 10. January 2017: A Dublin work syndicate claimed the €88.5 million EuroMillions jackpot. The winning ticket was sold at the Applegreen Service Station on the M1 Northbound in Lusk, Co Dublin. 11. July 2017: A syndicate from the West of Ireland won a €29 million EuroMillions jackpot. The ticket was sold in Garryduff XL Store on Pound Road, Castlebar in Co Mayo. 12. December 2017: A small family syndicate from Dublin won €38.9 million on a ticket purchased in The Village Shop in Malahide Shopping Centre. 13. June 2018: 32 colleagues from Stakelums Hardware store in Thurles share a €17 million EuroMillions jackpot with a ticket they purchased at Eason's Store in Thurles Shopping Centre in Co. Tipperary. 14. February 2019: The Naul Family Syndicate won €175.4 million on a ticket sold in Reilly's Daybreak in Naul, Co Dublin. 15. February 2020: A Co Mayo family shared the €17 million jackpot with a ticket they purchased at Mulroy's Londis Store in Castlebar. 16. July 2020: An online player in Dublin won a €49.5 million jackpot which they won with a €2.50 normal play ticket. 17. February 2022: Mid-West ticket holder scoops €30.9 million jackpot with Quick Pick ticket they purchased at Larkin's Gala Service Station in Ballina, Co Tipperary. 5 Centra Store Manager Simon Champ Credit: Daragh Mc Sweeney/Provision 5 The shop is located at 91 Shandon Street Credit: Daragh Mc Sweeney/Provisio 5 Over 30 people are working in the shop Credit: Mac Innes Photography
