Celebrating the sale of a Match 5 National Lottery-winning ticket worth just short of 195,000 at Hayes Mace in Ballylanders are Mairead Hayes (centre) with staff members Sheila Gubbins, Helen O’Connor, Mary Tobin and Emma Ryan. Photo, Frank Williams.
By John Barrett
Maireád Hayes and the staff at Hayes’ Mace in Ballylanders are in celebration mode this week after the shop sold a Match 5 + Bonus National Lottery ticket worth nearly €195,000 for last Saturday night’s draw. There was no winner of the jackpot on Saturday night, with the Match 5 winner capturing a cheque for €194,994 when the following numbers came out, 9, 10, 25, 32, 34, 38 plus the bonus ball, 23. “We just couldn’t believe it, “Mairead Hayes told the Vale Star. It’s such a great story for our shop and, more importantly, for the lucky winner. Everyone is hoping that the ticket has been purchased by a local, which would be a real boost for the Ballylanders area. We would have a nice passing trade also but the bulk of our Lotto ticket sales are to local people in the general area. The shop has had a few €5,000 winners over the years but nothing like this.” Mairead is the fourth generation of the family to run the business, which first opened its doors in 1881.
As a spokesperson for the National Lottery confirms that the winner has made contact and arrangements are being made to collect the prize, the Mace corporate motto ‘Going The Extra Smile’ has certainly taken on a whole new meaning in Ballylanders.