Wicklow duo stunned by €255,000 EuroMillions Raffle win
A Co Wicklow syndicate of two are in celebratory mode after their EuroMillions Ireland-Only Raffle ticket turned a modest €5,000 into a startling €255,000 windfall.
The winning ticket, purchased at Gallagher's SuperValu on Wentworth Street in Wicklow town, was part of the special EuroMillions Ireland-Only Raffle draw on Tuesday, May 13. This month-long raffle event is giving players across Ireland the chance to win an extra €250,000 on top of the usual €5,000 raffle prize, every Tuesday and Friday for all nine draws.
The duo who make up the syndicate hadn't a clue what was in store for them when they went to check their ticket.
One of the winners explained: 'Our internet was acting up, so we just drove to the shop to scan it. The assistant handed us a sticky note with the National Lottery's number and said, 'You'd better call them'. We thought something was wrong.
"Then, I was on the phone to Martin from the Prize Claims team and just blurted out, 'Just tell me how much I've won', expecting to hear €5,000, not €255,000!'
Now the pair are dreaming up ways to spent their unexpected windfall, starting with a long overdue holiday abroad.
'We haven't been away in years. We've always wanted to explore Italy, drive along the Amalfi Coast and relax by Lake Garda. This is our sign to finally do it.'
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Irish Sun
9 hours ago
- The Irish Sun
Terrifying message sent by ‘Chinese hackers' to M&S boss after crippling cyber attack on British retailer is revealed
'CHINESE hackers' allegedly sent a terrifying message to the boss of Marks & Spencer following a crippling cyber-attack on the British retailer. Fraudsters, believed to be from the hacking group DragonForce, are said to have emailed the company's chief executive Stuart Machin and seven other key executives. 2 High street retailer Marks & Spencer was hit by a cyber attack over the Easter holiday Credit: Alamy 2 M&S boss Stuart Machin, pictured, along with seven other company executives were emailed by the hackers, believed to be DragonForce Credit: PA The message, written in broken English, was sent on April 23, indicated that M&S was hacked by the ransomware group, although the retailer has not acknowledged this. 'We have marched the ways from China all the way to the UK and have mercilessly raped your company and encrypted all the servers,' the hackers wrote, according to the BBC. 'The dragon wants to speak to you so please head over to [our darknet website].' The link to the darknet shared in the email led to a portal for victims of DragonForce to negotiate a ransom fee. Read More on UK News The hackers added: 'Let's get the party started. Message us, we will make this fast and easy for us.' DragonForce's attack during the Easter holiday has been hugely damaging for one of Britain's best-known retailer and is thought to have cost the firm an estimated £300million. After six weeks on from the attack, the retailer is still unable to process online orders. The email was sent to Mr Machin along with seven other top executives, according to the corporation. Most read in The Sun A racist term is also said to have been included in the blackmail message and also ended with an image of a fire-breathing dragon. Along with installing ransomware in order to cripple M&S's IT system the hackers are also believed to have stolen private data from millions of customers. The £3.50 M&S buy that'll make your whole house smell like a 'boujee candle' Three weeks on from the attack, M&S informed customers that contact details and dates of birth from some shoppers had been obtained by a suspected cyber cartel. M&S also admitted other personal details, including customers' order histories, had also been pilfered by online criminals. Bosses though have stressed that no data relating to shoppers' payment, card details or account passwords had been obtained. It is unclear how many customers have been affected by the data breach. According to the company's full-year results, it had 9.4million active online customers in the year up to March 30. The email apparently sent by DragonForce is thought to have bene sent using the account of an employee from IT company Tata Consultancy Services (TCS), which has provided IT services to the retailer for more than a decade. The Indian IT worker, who is based in London, had an M&S email address but is paid employee of TCS. Timeline of the attack Saturday, April 19: Initial reports emerge on social media of problems with contactless payments and click-and-collect services at M&S stores across the UK. Customers experience difficulties collecting online purchases and returning items due to system issues. Monday, April 21: Problems with contactless payments and click-and-collect persist. Tuesday, April 22: Disruptions continue. Wednesday, April 23: Despite earlier claims of customer-facing systems returning to normal, M&S continues to adjust operations to maintain security. Contactless payments are initially restored, but other services, including click-and-collect, remain affected. Thursday, April 24: Contactless payments and click-and-collect services are still unavailable. Reports surface suggesting the attackers possibly gained access to data in February. Friday, April 25: M&S Monday, April 28: M&S is still unable to process online orders. Around Tuesday, April 29: Information suggests that the hacker group Scattered Spider is likely behind the attack. Shoppers spot empty shelves in selected stores. Tuesday, May 13: M&S revealed that some Wednesday, May 21: The retailer said disruption from the attack is expected to continue through to July. It's thought the worker was among the victims hacked. The company had previously said it is investigating if it was a gateway for the cyber attack. It has since informed the BBC the email was not sent from its system and had nothing to do with the security breach. M&S has declined to comment on the latest revelations. A spokesperson for the company told The Sun Online: 'We cannot comment on details of or speculation on the cyber incident, and we have been advised not to.'
The Journal
2 days ago
- The Journal
Land at Leopardstown Racecourse to be developed for 800 homes after transfer to LDA
AN AGREEMENT HAS been reached to transfer the ownership of land at Leopardstown Racecourse from Horse Racing Ireland to the Land Development Agency, which both bodies said could be the site of 800 new homes. The Land Development Agency (LDA) will take control of roughly 17 acres from Horse Racing Ireland (HRI), while design and planning for the new housing development will begin immediately, the two state bodies said in a joint statement today. 'Subject to planning, the LDA land will be used to deliver new, A-rated homes, which will be located next to the existing, but currently unused Leopardstown Luas stop,' the statement said. Leopardstown Racecourse has a Luas stop on the Green Line but it has been inactive since it opened in 2010 due to a lack of infrastructure. The LDA and HRI said they would work collaboratively and in consultation with Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council on a new 'masterplan' for Leopardstown, which they said will deliver 'much-needed affordable housing and protect and further develop the leading racecourse and its extensive racing and non-racing facilities'. Advertisement The land was first identified as having the potential for housing in the Housing for All plan, which was first published in 2021. Taoiseach, Micheál Martin said he was 'delighted' by the agreement. 'Solving the housing challenge requires collaboration across our society, from government to a range of private and public bodies,' Martin said, adding that he was looking forward to seeing similar developments in the future. Housing Minister James Browne said the LDA 'has the resources it needs to deliver housing at scale and has proven that it can do so quickly to a very high standard'. 'The LDA already has a strong pipeline of development land, but it's crucial that it is able to access more, especially State-owned land like this with the potential to deliver a high number of homes in a well located and well-serviced area.' Browne also encouraged other bodies to follow HRI's lead by reviewing their land holdings and discussing possible transfers with the LDA 'as a matter of urgency.' Readers like you are keeping these stories free for everyone... A mix of advertising and supporting contributions helps keep paywalls away from valuable information like this article. Over 5,000 readers like you have already stepped up and support us with a monthly payment or a once-off donation. Learn More Support The Journal
The 42
2 days ago
- The 42
Rangers appoint new boss Russell Martin on three-year contract
RANGERS HAVE CONFIRMED the appointment of Russell Martin as the club's new head coach. The 39-year-old former MK Dons, Swansea and Southampton boss has signed a three-year contract. He will be joined at Ibrox by assistant head coach Matt Gill and performance coach Rhys Owen. Martin guided Southampton to promotion to the Premier League last year but was sacked in December following one win from their first 16 games. Advertisement Rangers finished last season under the caretaker management of former captain Barry Ferguson, having dismissed Philippe Clement in February. ✍️ We are delighted to confirm the appointment of Russell Martin as Head Coach of our men's first team on a three-year deal. Full Details ⬇️ — Rangers Football Club (@RangersFC) June 5, 2025 Ex-Scotland defender Martin, who had a short loan spell as a player at Rangers in 2018, is tasked with wrestling power back from the other side of Glasgow after Celtic's stranglehold on Scottish football continued with a 13th William Hill Premiership title in 14 seasons. 'From my time here, I had a taste of how special this club is, the expectation, the passion and the history,' he told the club's website. 'Now, as I return, I'm determined to bring success back, for the supporters, the players, and everyone inside this club. 'There's a lot to be done, but the goal is clear: win matches, win trophies and give Rangers fans a team that they can be proud of.' Martin's arrival is the latest in a series of major changes at the club. An American consortium led by Andrew Cavenagh and 49ers Enterprises secured a majority shareholding on Friday, while new sporting director Kevin Thelwell officially began work on Monday. Rangers chief executive Patrick Stewart, who led the recruitment process alongside Thelwell, said: 'Our criteria for our next coach were clear: we wanted a coach who will excel in terms of how we want to play, improve our culture, develop our squad, and ultimately win matches. Russell was the standout candidate.'
