EuroMillions Winner Is a Retired Farmer Who Beat Cancer
Last Updated: Tuesday 27th September 2022, 09:28 am
An 84-year-old farmer from Carrick in County Donegal, Ulster, has stated his ‘health is his wealth’ after winning €500,000 in EuroMillions Plus. Charlie Meehan, who has previously fought off cancer, was in reflective mood as he described his six-figure win as the second time he has won the lottery.
Winning Quick Pick Bought From Barclay’s Newsagents
Meehan matched the numbers 2, 12, 33, 42 and 44 in the EuroMillions Plus draw on Tuesday 5th February. There were 2,966 winners overall, including 68 ticket holders who matched four numbers to take home €2,000 each, but he was the only ticket holder to match all five numbers and land the six-figure windfall.
Meehan often buys a lottery ticket with a newspaper, and bought his winning Quick Pick entry for this draw from the Barclay’s Newsagents in Raphoe, County Donegal, on the day of the draw. The owner of the newsagents, Jimmy Barclay, expressed his delight that he had sold the winning ticket. He said: “We’re absolutely over the moon! We are a small community-based shop in the heart of Raphoe Town with a very loyal customer base so we’re just thrilled that one of these people has won the half a million euro prize."
Winners in Ireland have 90 days from the date of a draw to come forward and claim their prize, and Meehan has already made contact with National Lottery officials, wasting little time in beginning the claims process. A National Lottery spokesperson said: “We always suggest to winners that they get some financial and legal advice before collecting their ticket. This winner has spoken to us and is going to do that. They will then make an appointment to collect their winnings.”
“I Have My Health Now and That’s All That Matters”
Meehan checked his EuroMillions Plus numbers on the night of the draw, revealing he disrupted his wife’s sleep to share the good news. He said: “I woke the wife from the bed as she was sleeping and I told her that we'd won some money. Of course, like a good woman she asked me exactly how much we'd won.
“I've no real plans for the cash. It is a nice sum but I have my health now and that's all that matters. I had my own health problems in the past when I had cancer in 2012. I spent most of that year in hospital in Galway but I have made a great recovery. The staff in Letterkenny and Galway hospitals were very good to me. To be honest I don't worry too much about the money at this stage in my life. All I'm concerned about is being able to live a happy and healthy life and money can't buy you that.
"It's a lovely sum of money. I'm kind of glad that I didn't win anything bigger because it might bring its own worries with it then. I haven't thought about what to do with the cash. There are a few women about the house so I'm sure they'll come up with ways of spending it."
This is the third time the EuroMillions Plus jackpot has been won this year. Players in Ireland can enter the supplementary draw for an additional €1 per line by ticking the Plus box on their EuroMillions playslip. The same numbers you pick are used in both draws, and the Plus game has a fixed jackpot amount of €500,000 twice a week following the main draw.
