Emer appears on Winning Streak 24 years after her mum did

A MAYO woman won a cool €29,000 on the National Lottery TV game show Winning Streak last Saturday, 24 years after her mother appeared on the RTÉ One programme.

Emer O’Grady from Westport was delighted with her Winning Streak haul and spoke of how she learned her ticket was pulled from the drum the week before.

Emer had just left her mother’s house and was driving home when she got a call from her mum, Anne, who was very excited and said her name was pulled out of the drum. Emer thought it was a practical joke and initially didn’t believe her mum, until a glut of calls came in from other friends and family congratulating her.

Emer’s Winning Streak luck is something she credits her mum with as Anne was the one who told her to sign the back of a scratch card the week before.

Anne has the magic Winning Streak touch as she appeared on the show way back in February 1995, then presented by Mike Murphy, and won £6,000. Emer was in the audience that day cheering her mum on and last weekend, almost 25 years later, the roles were reversed.

Emer works as a pharmacy validation engineer in Allergan.

With her winnings she says that she will treat her parents to something nice.

And, she admits, she has never been to a Mayo GAA game so says she will put her winnings to good use and get a ticket for the next Mayo match.

The lucky ticket was sold at Laura’s XL, Hopkins Road, Castlebar.