Two Winning Streak players from Co. Galway shared a total of €48,000 in prize money when they appeared on the National Lottery TV game show at the weekend.
Christina Lydon from Inverin, played on behalf of her father, Frank Kearns and won him €28,000 in cash while apprentice stone mason, Joe Slattery, from Clonmoylan, bagged himself a tidy €20,000.
Frank Kearns from Inverin in Galway always had a long-standing joke with his daughter, Christina that if his name ever got drawn to appear on Winning Streak to appear on the show, she would be the one to play in his place. Christina always politely agreed, never even considering that she would have to make good on the promise. That all changed two Saturdays ago when every phone in the whole household seemed to ring simultaneously. The callers were all saying pretty much the same thing – “Was it Frank who is after getting on Winning Streak?”
Frank, as per the plan, handed over the game show duties to Christina, who was more than happy to oblige. Christina is a home/school co-ordinator, working in two secondary schools in Galway: Coláiste Cholcille in Inverin and Coláiste BPiarsach in Rossmuck (where she spends four days and one day a week respectively ). Her role involves being the liaison between the schools and the student’s parents and is a vital cog in improving education outcomes and school attendances, all while building relationships with students and their parents. Having only being in her current position since last year, Christina is loving her job.
She was supported by her mum, Peg and three sisters, Sophia, Teada and Patricia, as well as her brother Jason in the audience along with some other family members and close friends. Frank didn’t make the trip to Dublin but was watching on keenly from home. Christina said that the family home was awash with excitement all last week, especially from her nieces and nephews Grace, Amy, Mairtin, Andrew and Eoin.
Joe Slattery from Clonmoylan, Co. Galway is in his third of a four year apprenticeship in stone masonry and was delighted with his €20,000 haul from the RTÉ One show. He works for the National Monuments Service where he works on the restoration or repair of old castles, monuments, abbeys and other old buildings. He is currently working away from home Monday to Friday in Foxford, Co Mayo.
As if he wasn’t already busy enough, Joe is also a part-time farmer who helps out on his dad’s farm on the weekends. His dad is a suckler calf and beef farmer.
Winning Streak was on the television in Joe Slattery’s house in Clonmoylan, the Saturday before last but he was preoccupied with other things. While he wasn’t paying much attention to the programme, he certainly was when he heard his own name get called out to appear on this week’s show. He was in the living room with his parents and brother and upon realising the good news, they all went wild with celebration. The phones all started to ring and when things calmed down a few hours later, Joe celebrated with mates over a couple of drinks in the local pub.
He was supported in RTÉ by his parents Pat and Anne, his brother, Shane; his grandmother, Vera; his girlfriend, Emma and other close friends and relatives. With his winnings from the show, Joe isn’t too sure yet what he will do but said a holiday may be on the cards.
