Ballyconnell woman wins the lotto
Ballyconnell woman, Amanda McFadden, is one of the 13 lucky syndicate winners of Wednesday's €4.871m Lotto jackpot. She is one of the staff members of Forward Emphasis International call centre in Malin Head who will each take a share of almost €377,000 of the prize.
Amanda, formerly Smith, from Ardue, Ballyconnell, left her native Cavan 12 years ago and headed for the Hills of Donegal. She's married to Tony McFadden and the happy couple live in Buncrana.
When asked if she had any thought about what they would do with the winnings, a delighted Amanda said “the normal - a holiday, a car”.
Husband Tony McFadden, no relation of Donegal star Colm McFadden, makes kitchens for a living.
Amanda works for an insurance company within the Forward Emphasis International call centre in Mailin Head. She has been working there for the past two and half years.
'It is hard to believe we have won and buzz ahead of All-Ireland weekend in Donegal is great,' Amanda told the Celt.
Jimmy Bradley was responsible for collecting the money for the lotto syndicate and playing the numbers this week. “Jimmy had the ticket and he was checking the numbers at home and then he started sending messages and texts, when he realised it was a winning ticket,” Amanda said.
“One of the girls Marie called me then and she was squealing down the phone. I said it’s not real, they are only joking you.
'It was only when we met up the next morning and seen the ticket ourselves that we believed it. We met up early in Carndonagh in the car park and then went for tea and then we went onto work and there was a reception at work for us.”
All syndicate members must sign the ticket in order to claim the prize and be present on the day that they collect the money in Lotto Headquarters. They are now waiting for Claire McElhinney, who is on holidays in Tenerife, and is getting a flight home this evening. Claire only joined the company a month ago. Another member of the syndicate, Maria Doherty, only started working there on Monday of this week.