Caroline Doherty and Sharon McGlynn, from Letterkenny, Co. Donegal, pictured with game show host's Brian Ormond (left) and Sinead Kennedy (right), taking a bite out of the Big Apple as they enjoy being winners of the National Lottery's Big Money Game trip to New York City. Pic. Robbie Reynolds/CPR
Caroline Doherty from Letterkenny and Denise Hegarty from Burnfoot joined 37 other winners from across Ireland.
The excited winners won this prize on the National Lottery’s Big Money Game TV Gameshow during the summer months. Gameshow hosts Brian Ormond and Sinead Kennedy accompanied the winners on their fun filled trip of a lifetime. For many winners, this trip was their first visit to the USA.
Once in New York, the group was transported by coach to the luxurious Sofitel Hotel in Midtown Manhattan, just a short stroll from Times Square, The Empire State Building and Fifth Avenue.
On Sunday evening, the winners sailed across the Hudson River, past the Statue of Liberty, to the famous River Café and there enjoyed a delicious gala dinner. The group visited Broadway on Tuesday night, where they enjoyed the smash hit musical ‘Jersey Boys’ at the August Wilson Theatre.
Caroline took her daughter Sharon with her as her companion. Caroline has been married to John for 40 years and they have five daughters, five sons and eight grandchildren.
Both Caroline and her husband purchased the Scratch Cards hoping to find the stubs for the draw. Caroline missed the show when she was drawn for the trip, as she was in Dublin attending the Westlife concert. A friend rang her with the news.
This was Caroline’s first visit to New York. She had always wanted to go there to visit her aunt and friends living in the city.
Caroline is not a shopper but her daughter Sharon has four children and hoped to buy lots of presents to bring home.
Denise and her sister Mary travelled to New York. They have eight siblings. Denise is a sales assistant in a supermarket.
Their parents, Mary and Eamonn, collected the USA stubs for their daughters. Denise was watching the show on the week her name was drawn for the trip, as she knew one of the contestants, Danielle McDaid. She got the shock of her life when she heard her own name on the show.
Neither of the sisters had been to New York before. They hope to see all the sites and enjoy the shops.
Mary (left) and Denise Hegarty, sisters from Co. Donegal, pictured taking a bite out of the Big Apple as they enjoy being winners of the National Lottery's Big Money Game trip to New York City. Pic. Robbie Reynolds/CPR
