Nice little prize for someone who ‘doesn’t usually play the Lotto’
15:03, 12 Dec 2025Updated 15:09, 12 Dec 2025
National Lottery sign (stock)(Image: Kinga Krzeminska via Getty Images)
Cork has some of the finest pubs in the country – but one man, passing through from County Clare, got more than just a nice pint of Murphy’s and a packet of Taytos.
The Ennis man was heading through East Cork on Tuesday, December 2 when he stopped in Midleton for a tipple. While in town, he popped into Broderick’s Shop at Shanagarry Cross and bought a Quick Pick ticket on impulse before heading home. A couple of days later, he was stunned to discover that he was the winner of the €122,669 Lotto Match 5 plus Bonus prize.
The lucky player explained: “I don’t usually play the Lotto, but I stopped for a drink and decided to grab a Quick Pick. A couple of days later, I scanned the ticket in the shop and heard the winning sound – I couldn’t believe it! My family didn’t believe me at first, but now that we’re here, it feels very real.” He added that intends to upgrade his van and put the remainder of the prize towards buying a house.
The man from Ennis isn’t the only player to strike it lucky in Midleton in recent weeks. In November, one punter won a life-changing €1 million after buying a a ticket from Tesco at the Market Green Shopping Centre. On that occasion, the winner read in a local paper a few days later that a €1m prize had been won in the town, but had yet to be claimed.
And when he opened the National Lottery app to double-check his numbers, he got a notification reading “You’ve won big” – and knew right away he had become an overnight millionaire. He said: “I always buy my ticket the day before the draw, and on this particular day, I was doing the school run – nothing out of the ordinary! I didn’t tell anyone, not even my wife, and went to work as normal, although my head was absolutely scrambled. I knew I had to contact the National Lottery before heading home, just to be sure!”
He kept the win a secret from his family, finally springing the surprise on them with the help of a well-placed newspaper: “The paper was left on the dinner table, so I asked them what they would do if they won the prize money. When I told them I had the winning ticket, it was madness! That moment is something we’ll never forget.”
The latest prizes come after news of another big Lotto win in Cork. The National Lottery have confirmed a Cork woman recently scooped €50k on this year’s seasonal scratch card collection. She won the top prize on a €5 Merry Money Scratch Card which she bought at Applegreen on the Harbour Road in Hollyhill – and now, she’s planning some pretty special festive celebrations.