An 84-year-old farmer from Donegal who has just scooped €500,000 on the Euromillions lotto says he doesn’t care about money after he revealed he has overcome cancer.
Pensioner Charlie Meehan had to wake his wife from her sleep after he checked his lotto numbers on Tuesday night.
Charlie, from Carrick in Drumoghill, said he often does the lotto when buying a newspaper but never thought he would win.
He admitted that he had a nightcap after checking the numbers with his family.
“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,” laughed Charlie.
But despite winning the huge sum, Charlie said he has already won the lotto before after overcoming cancer.
“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,” he said.
Charlie said he has no immediate plans for the cash as he has a decent car and a house.
But he quipped “It’s a lovely sum of money. I’m kind of glad that I didn’t win anything bigger because it might bring it owns 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.”
Charlie chose a quickpick to buy his ticket and the winning EuroMillions Plus numbers were 02, 12, 33, 42, 44.
This is the third EuroMillions Plus winning ticket in Ireland so far this year.
Jimmy Barclay, owner of Barclay’s Newsagents in Raphoe said he was delighted after learning that one of his customers had picked up the prize in Tuesday night’s EuroMillions draw.
“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,” Jimmy said.
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