One of the latest National Lottery winners has said the first thing he's going to fork out for is to stop a leak at his home which Irish Water told him was not its responsibility to fix.
Seamus Cawley, known in his hometown of Rathkeale, Co Limerick, as "Marathon Man" because of the number of marathons he's run, romped to victory by winning a one-tenth share of last weekend's €3.88 million Lotto jackpot, along with nine friends.
Mr Cawley, who has run about 50 marathons, including every one of the 36 Dublin City marathons, said: “It took me three hours to tell my wife. My wife Marian told me to shut up and to stop cursing.”
Mr Cawley (57) is one of a 10-person syndicate who work together at the Kerry Group Cheese Strings production line in Charleville, Co Cork. They are each getting €388,375.60.
Might take a holiday
The father of one said he might take a holiday, pay his daughter’s college fees, and run the Los Angelus marathon - but first of all he has to fix that leak at his home.
“Irish Water told me I have a leak, but they told me they couldn’t fix it because it’s inside the door.”
Mr Cawley, who won a national marathon title with West Limerick Athletics Club in 1985, said the Lotto win was “just as sweet”.
He revealed his late father Paddy, who was a big fan of lotteries and competitions, was buried with a Lotto ticket. “We put a lottery ticket and €50 down with him,” he said.
One of the 10-person syndicate is about to become a father, while others have mortgages to pay and grandchildren who they say they plan to spoil.