Is luck of the Irish real? How locals have reacted to huge £208,000,000 Euromillions win

It took only a few minutes walking through Dublin to find someone who had won a fair few Euros in the lottery.

After the huge £208,000,000 jackpot was claimed by someone in Co Cork Metro went to find out if the ‘luck of the Irish’ was a real thing and if people believed in it.

The phrase originated in 19th-century America during the Gold Rush, where many successful miners were Irish immigrants, yet their fortunes were often attributed to luck rather than perseverance and skill.

Strolling through the Irish capital was Amanda Walsh, 45, who said she has been awarded 1,500 euros ‘at least twice’ on the lottery after picking three correct numbers.

Shrugging as if it is the most normal thing in the world, she said: ‘When I go into the betting shop I usually come out having won something.

‘But that’s just luck of the Irish.’

And it is hard to disagree. Ireland is home to 18 Euromillion jackpot winners with one person this week already beating the 1 in 139,838,160 odds.

‘There’s definitely luck of the Irish involved’

Being in Ireland ‘is already the luckiest thing in the world’

Hearing about the country’s latest EuroMillions win seems to have surprised no one.

The sunny weather has brought everyone to a small market in the heart of Dublin, next to a number of betting shops.

Stall holder Amanda, winking, told Metro: ‘You should go in there when you get a free moment. I bet you’ll get lucky.’

But the luck isn’t all about money – just being in the country is more than enough for those who have come from further afield.

Tejol Lahane, 25, from India, said the Irish are some of the happiest people she has ever met.

She said: ‘We are lucky because we are in the safest country possible to be in. The economy is up, people are in good spirits, and people are enjoying buying tickets!’

As Metro chatted to local we quickly found out everyone had their own lucky moment they were desperate to share.

Amanda said she has had more than her share after being able to ‘bring herself out of abuse and addiction’.

She said: ‘If I won the lottery, I would just want to be able to help people escape the situation I was in.’

Rakesh Bolle, 25, who is originally from India, said he counts himself in possession of Irish luck ever since he was granted his Visa.

He said: ‘Back home, hardly any of my friends got their Visas to come and study here – but I did. I am truly one of the lucky ones.’

Musician Matthew John Lennon, 43, who insisted he is not actually related to the Beatles legend, said he knows the Irish are lucky, but he’s not bothered about buying a ticket.

He said: ‘I already consider myself lucky in life. I love music, I have a great family, what more can I need.’

Phyllis Tynan, 74, said she is still waiting for her ‘lucky moment’ but knows it is coming.

But when asked why it was the Irish were so lucky, she put it down to all the leprechauns.

‘They are everywhere, of course we have it a lot,’ she laughed.

Even lottery officials themselves admit the Irish have shown a lucky streak after the latest win.

Andy Carter, Senior Winner’s Advisor at the National Lottery, told Metro: ‘There’s definitely a bit of the luck of the Irish involved in this win.

‘The highest win in the UK in comparison was £195 million. There’s a 76 million to one chance of winning the EuroMillions and following the sequence of rollovers this is amazing luck for them.’

‘It is a privilege to be born Irish, and an honour to be born in Dublin’

Sisters Noleen Kearny and Veronica Daly, 60 and 62 respectively, said they’ve already won the lottery living in the capital.

Veronica told Metro: ‘It is a privilege to be born Irish, and an honour to be born in Dublin.’

How many people in Ireland have won the EuroMillions Jackpot?

Here are the winners to date:

• July 2005:  Dolores McNamara from Limerick, was Ireland’s first and biggest EuroMillions winner scooping over €115 Million
• July 2008:  A player from Co. Tipperary won a €15 Million Jackpot with a ticket bought in Carrick-on-Suir
• June 2009: A family syndicate shared the Jackpot with a British winner, taking home over €29.4 Million with a ticket purchased in Dublin
• June 2013: A Dublin player earned half of the €187 Million Jackpot and picked up over €93 Million
• September 2013:  A man from the South East shared a jackpot of over €25 Million with a player in Spain
• April 2014:  €15 Million was claimed on a ticket sold in Castlebar, Co. Mayo
• September 2014: €86.7 Million Jackpot was won by a syndicate from Dublin from a ticket sold in Centra, Ballybrack, Co. Dublin 
• January 2016: A syndicate of friends won over €66 Million, splitting the Jackpot of €132,376,632. The ticket was sold in Eason’s store, Fairgreen Shopping Centre, Carlow
• July 2016: 22 colleagues from Dublin Bus won the €23.8 Million. The ticket was sold in O’Hanlon’s Portarlington
• January 2017: A Dublin work syndicate claimed the €88.5 Million EuroMillions Jackpot. The winning ticket was sold at the Applegreen Service Station on the M1 Northbound in Lusk, Co. Dublin. 
• July 2017: A syndicate from the West of Ireland won a €29 Million EuroMillions jackpot. The ticket was sold in Garryduff XL Store on Pound Road, Castlebar in Co. Mayo. 
• December 2017: A small family syndicate from Dublin won €38.9 Million on a ticket purchased in The Village Shop in Malahide Shopping Centre 
• June 2018: 32 colleagues from Stakelums Hardware store in Thurles Co. Tipperary share a €17 Million EuroMillions Jackpot with a ticket they purchased at Eason’s Store in Thurles Shopping Centre in Co. Tipperary. 
• February 2019:  A family syndicate from Nail won €175.4 Million on a ticket sold in Reilly’s Daybreak
• February 2020: A Co. Mayo family shared the €17 Million Jackpot with a ticket they purchased at Mulroy’s Londis Store in Castlebar
• July 2020:  An online player in Dublin won a €49.5 Million Jackpot which they won with a €2.50 normal play ticket
• February 2022: Mid-West ticket holder scoops €30.9 Million Jackpot with Quick Pick ticket they purchased at Larkin’s Gala Service Station in Ballina, Co. Tipperary

Sitting, drinking tea in front of their flower stand, the pair insisted they wouldn’t even bother telling their children they had won the money if it came to it.

‘Money is the root of all evil,’ Noleen said. ‘The money needs to go to charity. I would send food into Gaza, and help Ireland’s homeless.’

The pair said they had an unlucky start in life after their mother died when they were only young.

When their father was offered a blank cheque to help raise the girls, he turned it down saying everything he needed ‘was now six feet under’.

Veronica said: ‘He taught us the luck you have in life is if you can make your own happiness.’

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