Cork defeat proves money can’t buy the Cunninghams everything
But it wasn’t to be, as the Deise emerged victorious on the day.
GAA fan Paul Cunningham, his wife Helen, their five children and friends gathered in the bar of Glanmire’s Vienna Woods Hotel, where they have been staying for the past few days, and cheered in vain as Cork crashed out of the championship.
The family chose not to follow speculation and travel to Dublin for the quarter-final clash, but unlike most people, they could not blame the GAA’s ticket pricing for staying put.
And even if the result did not go to plan, drifting to sleep last night dreaming of what they could do with their €16 million Lotto win must have been a nice consolation prize.
Earlier, the family broke their week-long silence to the Sunday World newspaper, with Mr Cunningham revealing their immediate plans. He said that, at 52 years old, he intended to quit his job but his children wanted to keep working.
The family want to buy a new house in the Whitechurch area of Cork.
“We still can’t believe it. We are just trying to keep our heads down and take it all in,” he said.
A week earlier they were waking up to news that they had landed the largest-ever Lotto jackpot in Ireland.
Yesterday, they woke up to the news that their hideout was public knowledge.
Nonetheless, the Cunninghams remained at their Glanmire base.
After a week enjoying the tranquil surroundings of the hotel, the family have turned their attention to talk of holidays. However, this is on hold until the Passport Office clears the only obstacle in their way.
“I don’t have a passport, but I will have one by Tuesday,” said Mr Cunningham.
“We’d like to go on a cruise for maybe two weeks. We have family and a few other close people to look after.”
Yesterday, new owner of the hotel Michael Magner said the staff had thoroughly enjoyed having the Cunninghams and would welcome them back should they choose to return.
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