Martin Harris (9) and his brother Vincent (15) came home from school yesterday evening to the news that their mother, Jeanette, had become the National Lottery's first "euro millionaire".
Ms Harris delayed making the news public yesterday, so she could break the family's good fortune to her two oldest boys when they got back from school.
Ms Harris, who works in a hotel in Greystones, Co Wicklow, collected her €2,481,957 jackpot (almost £2 million in "old money") from National Lottery headquarters yesterday accompanied by her youngest son, 10-month-old John, and relatives. She then rushed home to Kilcoole, Co Wicklow, to break the news to her other two boys, before her win became public knowledge.
Ms Harris scored a rare triple win - along with the scooping Saturday's main Lotto jackpot, she won two "Match 5" prizes, worth a total of €2,688.
After she collected her win, an impromptu party was held in the post office in Kilcoole where Jeanette bought the ticket.
"We are all thrilled," said postmistress Ms Caitriona Whiston who, along with her husband Liam, laid on magnums of champagne and boxes of sweets for the celebration. "It couldn't have happened to a better woman," she added.
Jeanette herself was keeping quiet on her spending plans, although her son Martin did say he thought a new house and a car would be in the offing.
"We'll see," she said with a smile, before warning the photographers present that the champagne could "destroy all the cameras".
Jeanette said she has been doing the same numbers since the Lotto started, based on family anniversaries, at a usual weekly cost of £16.50. Last week, after the euro changeover, her weekly pick cost her €20.95.
She has yet to decide whether she will continue to work - "It hasn't really sunk in yet and I keep telling myself it was only money and it is not going to change the person I am. I am just delighted that I can now plan a great future for the boys".
