Double celebration for new Lotto millionaires

IRELAND’s newest Lotto millionaires, Pierce and Maura Power, will be cracking open the champagne again today when they celebrate their 34th wedding anniversary.

Yesterday the couple from Ferrybank in Waterford called to the National Lottery headquarters in Dublin with their six children and six grandchildren to collect a cheque for €2.15 million.

Pierce retired about 10 years ago from Waterford Crystal where he worked for 28 years. Maura works as a home help locally.

Pierce discovered he had won on Thursday morning when he checked his ticket against the winning numbers in the newspaper.

"Great, I thought, I have four numbers a few bob for the weekend. Then I noticed I had the other two as well and ran screaming up the stairs to tell Maura the good news."

The couple plan to use their new found fortune to look after their family, pay off their debts and make a few good investments.

Pierce said the last five days had been hectic and he was now hoping to be able to catch his breath and give a bit more thought to how he would spend his millions.