A CAVAN publican and his wife finally emerged yesterday to claim their half share of last Saturday's record £7.48 million Lotto jackpot, but they had no advice to offer whoever owns the other winning ticket.
Mr Paddy Kelly and his wife Mary have already decided to lease their pub, The Square, in Bailieboro, to a "loyal" barman who has been with them for four years. But they had no definite plans on what to do with their cheque for £3,743,012.
Given Cavan's canny reputation, one reporter asked the couple if they were going to spend their millions, and on what. "I'll tell you that in a year's time," said Mr Kelly. His wife was less reticent. "What else would you do only spend it?" she exclaimed.
First they had to endure six photographers jostling each other for the best picture angles and asking the latest Lotto millionaires to pose with the cheque and glasses of champagne, and all the while to smile, smile, smile.
"This is the hardest part of it. I thought our wedding day was bad, but there was only one photographer then," Mrs Kelly said. "I've been so sick that I haven't eaten anything since sometime on Saturday evening. I'll never do the Lottery again."
Both of them agreed that £3.74 million was "a bit much" for anyone to win. "I was hoping to hear there were 10 winners," Mrs Kelly said, adding that she still found it hard to take in the fact that there were only two - and that one of the winning tickets was their £3 "quick pick".
She said they had missed the draw and didn't know of their good fortune until Christopher, a nephew rang to tell her the winning numbers. "I started screaming and rang my sister, Carmel, to tell her. I was just sick."
The couple, who have been married for 28 years and have no children, worked normally on Saturday night, Sunday and Monday. Reporters who had got wind of a jackpot winner in Bailieboro were even calling into the pub looking for names "but we had no names to give them".
The Kellys decided to go public yesterday evening, after driving down from Bailieboro (in their small Mitsubishi car) to collect their cheque. "We would have waited another week, but we were afraid the house would be raided and the ticket stolen," said Mrs Kelly.
She only hoped that the Meath winners who shared last Saturday's jackpot "don't feel as sick as I did". Her husband, a former plumber who also has a small farm outside Bailieboro, said it was "their own business" whether they wanted to "go public".
He himself "never had too much money, contrary to what some people might think". He was hoping to build a new house on the farm even before winning the Lotto but he had no intention of retiring. All they were planning was a "small impromptu party" in the bar last night.
Asked if they intended to travel, Mr Kelly said they had already been to Australia, and his wife added that the next time they went there it would be by Concorde.
Mrs Kelly, meanwhile, had been trying to contact the bank manager to talk to him about the Kellys' overdraft. "I don't know what he'll think now" she added.