It was as if all their birthdays had come together for some of the 126 young members of the local branch of Comhaltas Ceoltoiri Eireann.
They were having their annual medals presentation party at the Woodlands House Hotel, Adare, at the same time as the Irish couple who had just won £7.7 million-plus in Britain's Christmas lottery were entertaining some friends.
Mr Oliver McDowell (61), a semi-retired locksmith business director, who is from Drogheda, and his wife Kathleen (58), from Knocklong, Co Limerick, were so captivated by the talent of the children that they handed out £20, £10 and £5 notes to each of them.
Ms Sheila Cagney, Banogue, their teacher, was bemused at it all. "You wouldn't know what to do," she said. "When Mr McDowell ran out of money, he produced his plastic card at the hotel desk and got another £300, which he continued to hand out. Then he retired to a locked room to escape from the rest of the anxious children."
Mr and Mrs McDowell, who live in Essex, said they had come to the 67-bedroom Woodlands House to hide from publicity. Yesterday morning they left for an unknown destination when their "hideaway" lost its secrecy.
Mrs Maeve Fitzgerald, the proprietor, said they had been there two years ago when their son, Paul, held his wedding reception at the hotel. "They were a charming couple, well known at home for their religious fervour and giving nature," she said. Mr McDowell had told her he had not been sleeping well since the win and had shown her a copy of the original multi-million pound cheque.
It was only Mr McDowell's fourth attempt at the lottery. While waiting for Mass at Ilford and to visit the crib on St Stephen's Day, he invested in the Lucky Dip. Next day Mrs McDowell heard that somebody had won £7.7 million and reminded her husband he had bought a ticket. She asked him if he had checked the numbers. At first they did not believe they were the winners. They thought they had won only £250,000 because, as he put it, "Kate had missed calling out one of the numbers".
They have no plans for the future , but Mr McDowell said he did not think he would return to take up his business, which includes some locksmith shops. Mrs McDowell said they had intended to return to her native Knocklong. Now the win would make that a lot easier.
In Knocklong yesterday, villagers were rejoicing at the good fortune of the girl who had left for England at a young age. One said: "We knew that they were never in want for a shilling, but there may be some spin-off in this for Knocklong."
Mrs McDowell's two brothers, Seanie and Bobby O'Keeffe, still live at Cross of the Tree, a mile outside the village. A cousin, Ms Elizabeth O'Keeffe, said they were all delighted at the couple's good luck.