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 Lotto balloons were put up blocking out the full window and the champagne corks popped.
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 winner of the life changing millions is, although speculation ranged from a syndicate to a tea lady working with the HSE.
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”.
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.
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.
“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 Cork steeped in history. It is great to think that this EuroMillions win is going to become part of that history for Shandon Street as well.”
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 Co.Tipperary 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.
