Lotto multi-millionaire not yet identified

RUMOUR was rife in Ballyfermot, Co Dublin, yesterday as to who won the fifth-largest Lotto jackpot of just under €7 million.

A posse of print and television reporters descended on the area, but conflicting reports circulated as to where the winner might live.

The winning ticket 17, 21, 27, 38, 40 and 42 and bonus number 11 was purchased last Thursday at Tesco.

The winning customer spent €8 on numbers.

Rebecca Byrne, who believes she sold the ticket, says she has no idea who the new multi-millionaire might be.

Tesco manager David Ennis said the store, which was then called Crazy Prices, sold a £2m winner a few years ago while, next door, Anna Maguire of JR's Coffee shop recalled that on that occasion the winner had spent part of the money on purchasing 18 graves and headstones for paupers.

"I think I would give it to the living," quipped one of her colleagues, Ann Sweeney.

Gerry O'Reilly of the Value King store in Main Street said that he had heard nothing but rumours while local woman Mary Colgan said she believed that the winner was a 19-year-old from Landen Road.

Staff at two different butchers, McLoughlins' and Tom Whelan's, were unsure also but believed the winner was from the other side of Ballyfermot at Grangecross Road.

National Lottery spokesperson Paula McEvoy said yesterday evening there was no word yet from the winner.

"Sometimes they come in the next day but you can never tell," said Paula.

If the winner is not part of a consortium he or she will become the second highest winner ever.

The biggest winner was a Cork farmer who opted to remain private with his wining of a whopping 7,892,753 on May 21, 1997.

Tesco, or possibly its local staff members, will receive €12,500 as a reward for selling the winning ticket.