Lucky lotto shop gets lucky again
Lottery winner Kieran Kelly with newsagent Barry McCloskey when Kieran received his cheque for almost �91,000. (2402JB01)
Barry McCloskey’s newsagents in Dungiven has notched up a hat trick of bumper National Lottery wins to make it one of the luckiest shops in Northern Ireland.
And the latest win of almost £91,000 has gone to a man Barry grew up beside in the County Derry town - 48 year-old joiner Kieran Kelly.
Barry had already sold two jackpot winning tickets before his lifelong friend bought his Lotto ticket last Wednesday: Local woman Ann Logan won £479,126 in 2006 and four years before that Limavady van driver Stephen Boyd netted £1,456,675.
Bachelor Kieran’s ticket won him the Lotto’s 5+Bonus Ball prize of £90,778 - and it was all down to the flu.
He explained : “I work in Dublin during the week and had to come home on Wednesday because I was well under the weather with the flu. I went into Barry’s shop when I got off the bus and it was just about five minutes before the lottery closed at 7.30pm.
“I usually buy my ticket from Barry on Saturdays when I’m home for the weekend so it’s just been an incredible turn of events. It also cured my flu pretty quickly.”
Barry said he couldn’t be happier that his latest winning ticket went to his lifelong friend.
He said : “Our parents were neighbours in the town so I grew up beside Kieran. I couldn’t be more pleased - unless, of course, it had been me!
“I don’t know why the shop is so lucky but let’s hope it continues to happen. People go miles out of their way to buy their tickets here.”
The Kelly family are well known throughout the Dungiven area and in his day Kieran was a leading member of the Dungiven GAA club, winning a host of football and hurling medals that included county championship medals in both sports.
“I really can’t believe I’ve been so lucky”, he says. “It’s a lovely amount of money - just enough to make life comfortable while keeping my feet on the ground. I haven’t decided what to do with it yet but it will certainly allow me to travel round Ireland enjoying my passion for traditional music.”
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Weather for Derry
Sunday 27 May 2012
Today
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Temperature: 14 C to 23 C
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