National Lottery in Dublin confirms that ticket was sole winner of jackpot – joining the nine previous winners from Ireland

This article is more than 3 years old

This article is more than 3 years old



The luck of the Irish has struck again as a ticket sold in the country netted almost €89m in the Euromillions lottery on Tuesday night.

The National Lottery in Dublin confirmed that there was one winner from Ireland of the Europe-wide €88.58m (£75.86m) jackpot.

The lucky winner had a match of five numbers and two stars – numbers 01, 05, 07, 17 and 23 with stars 03 and 08. It was unclear where exactly in Ireland the ticket was bought or whether it belonged to a syndicate.

There have been nine Euromillions winners from Ireland so far, including the biggest jackpot winner, Dolores McNamara. McNamara, from Limerick, won more than €115m in 2005.

McNamara realised she had won the Euromillions while watching the draw live on TV inside her local pub, The Track Bar, in Garryowen, Co Limerick. She whipped out the €2 winning ticket from her handbag, threw it on the table and said to one of her friends around the pub table: “Check that for me.”

Then she downed a brandy when her numbers were confirmed and burst into tears.

McNamara, who is estimated to earn up to €3m a year in interest, has kept a low profile for the past 12 years. She bought houses for her six children and spent €2m on a house within 38 acres of land in Co Clare.