Mullingar’s latest millionaires were the toast of the town yesterday (Thursday ) when it was revealed that Kevin ‘Sham’ Geoghegan (46 ) and his girlfriend Carol Loran won nearly €11m in Wednesday’s National Lottery draw.
Rumour was rife all over the town since it was announced on RTE’s Morning Ireland on Thursday that the winning €4 quickpick ticket was sold in Tesco Mullingar on Tuesday evening, before Kevin put the town out of its curiosity a little after lunchtime yesterday at the back of Dolan’s pub, and revealed himself as the luckiest man in the country.
Doorstepped by a mass of both local and national press, ‘Sham’ originally denied winning the prize, claiming his brother had, but when pressed by local reporter Paul O’Donovan he admitted: “Yeah, yeah, It was me”.
For the record, ‘Sham’ and Carol - his girlfriend of just three weeks - will glory in the sum total of €10,565,261.
It is believed Carol (39 ), originally from the Moate area but now living with her children in Greenpark Meadows, bought the ticket after collecting €2 from Sham.
Carol, a bookies cashier, went to work on Thursday morning in Boylesports on Dominick Street, and when told by her colleagues that the winning ticket was bought in Tesco, she then got the surprise of her life on checking her purse, before making probably the most enjoyable phone call of her life to date.
Kevin ‘Sham’ Geoghegan is a father to Fergal (14 ), Aoife (11 ), and Ciaran (8 ).
He works as a machinist in Trend, formerly Data Packaging, and lives in Ginnell Terrace.
“The most important thing this money is for is my three kids,” he was quoted as saying at the Dolans press conference.
“I’m just going to relax and take it all in. It’s happy times here today,” said ‘Sham’ in conversation with the Advertiser from his mother’s house yesterday evening.
“It’s nice to see someone who has nothing and been through a lot of hardship win it. This’ll make up for all the hardships,” he said quietly.
“This is for the kids. This will set them up for life. It’s just a great feeling,” he said.
The Advertiser asked if he had any other plans for the money, and if the party was going to carry on, but ‘Sham’ is not one to go too overboard.
“I’ve had a few glasses of Champagne and a pint of Guinness, but I’m fairly level-headed. I’m from a large family, and they’ll all be looked after as well,” he declared honourably.
“You remember. I never let anyone down on the sporting fields, did I?” And he is absolutely right.
