Irish EuroMillions winner said enormous jackpot 'destroyed' her life
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Ireland witnessed a historic moment this week as one EuroMillions player scooped an eye-watering €250million jackpot, setting a new record for the country's highest ever win.
The National Lottery has issued advice to the lucky winner, urging them to "stay calm, get independent legal and financial advice and contact us as soon as they can".
Yet, keeping one's cool after such a jaw-dropping windfall might seem like a Herculean task. Margaret Loughrey from Strabane, Northern Ireland could attest to that. She once won £27million on the EuroMillions, but said the win "destroyed" her life.
Tragically, she was found dead eight years later – and we delve into her sorrowful story below. Known as 'Maggie Millions', Margaret had a cheerful upbringing as one of six siblings.
Her life took a sombre turn in her teens when her father Hughie passed away. Her brother Paul reflected: "He was a bricklayer and fell off a roof when he was 47. It was a terrible time. He was a fantastic father. I don't think Margaret got over it and after that she had mental health issues."
Margaret's fortunes dramatically shifted in November 2013. At 48, divorced, and having just visited the job centre, she purchased a Lucky Dip EuroMillions ticket on a sunny day, while living modestly on just £71 a week in her two-bedroom bungalow.
She had to double-check her numbers (9, 23, 27, 42 and 44 with Lucky Stars 3 and 5) a staggering ten times before it sunk in that she'd hit the jackpot. After stepping outside for a breather, she spent five hours pacing around her house before ringing Paul to break the news that she was now £27million richer.
Paul recalled: "I was the first to be told. We were close right up until the money. But from that day I knew. I told the rest of the family this is not going to be good for Margaret.
"People have often said to me, 'It must be amazing to win all that money?' But I always respond, be careful what you wish for because it almost destroyed our entire family. Not just Margaret."
Paul, who has three children, shared that Margaret found it tough to cope with her newfound wealth, which led to her pushing her four brothers and sister away. He described it as "very sad" and noted that his sister "just didn't want to know us anymore".
Despite severing ties, she still handed out £1million each to her siblings and closest friends. Paul mused: "She didn't want us in her life but still she gave us the money. It doesn't make sense, does it? But she made sure we were all OK."
(Image: GOOGLE MAPS)
For Margaret, scooping the EuroMillions prize marked the start of a downward spiral, resulting in her being sectioned only months later.
Two years on from her windfall, she faced conviction for assaulting a cab driver, leading to a sentence of 150 hours of community service. The court was informed that she had been knocking back vodka and was "highly intoxicated after consuming a large amount of alcohol".
Margaret has spoken out about the downside of her lottery win, revealing that by 2019 she was down to just £5million and felt victimised by theft.
Speaking to Sunday Life, she expressed deep regret: "I will never have peace as long as I live. Even if I didn't have a penny left, I won't. I regret winning the lottery. Of course I do. I was a happy person before. I am a human being and all it has done is destroy my life."
In the emotional interview, Margaret, who indulged in a range of vehicles including a VW camper van and a Land Rover, described her hardships: "I have had six years of this. I don't believe in religion, but if there is a hell, I have been in it. It has been that bad. I went down to five-and-a half stone."
Besides high-end cars, Margaret poured her winnings into renovating a dilapidated property she called 'the barn' and erected a luxurious £1million home beside her modest bungalow. Ultimately, despite the house resembling a fantasy from Grand Designs, she chose to return to her simple bungalow, with her brother suggesting the grand home was overwhelming for her.
(Image: PA)
Margaret passed away suddenly in 2021, with no suspicion surrounding her death. Her family stated she died from natural causes following an illness.
In the wake of her passing, local councillor Paul Gallagher, her neighbour, paid tribute: "Margaret was well known and did a lot of good, charitable work around the town. People are shocked today."
Margaret's legacy of generosity became well-known posthumously, and she spoke to the BBC in 2013 about her philosophy on wealth: "No point having £27m and being lonely. That can't make me happy, that can only make me happy that everybody else's happy and so far everybody is absolutely delighted."
Despite winning a huge jackpot, Margaret continued to live in Strabane and became a local benefactor, reportedly covering funeral costs for a family in financial distress and funding medical procedures for others, including paying for gastric band operations.
In addition to these acts, Margaret was known for donating to local charities. Grainne Dunne from Knockavoe School, serving children with special needs, reminisced how Margaret visited and followed up with a significant donation,
Grainne said: She came to see us a couple of years ago and soon after we received a very substantial donation. She was a modest woman."
Anne Ramsay of New Horizons, which supports adults with intellectual disabilities, acknowledged the receipt of a "substantial sum" from Margaret as well.
Councillor Paul Gallagher reflected on the impact of her charity, stating: "Covid has put a mighty strain on charities. She had her troubles but Margaret has helped with the survival of these groups and those benefits will be felt for a long, long time to come."
Paul, her brother, has expressed concern arguing that jackpots have become excessively large. He commented: "It's time the Government look at the size of jackpots. They need to be capped. A person working in a factory or a call centre like I was can't deal with money like that."
In response to his statements back in 2021, the National Lottery's operator said: "Camelot takes its duty of care to winners very seriously and all major winners are offered support and advice for as long as they wish."
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Her brother Paul reflected: "He was a bricklayer and fell off a roof when he was 47. It was a terrible time. He was a fantastic father. I don't think Margaret got over it and after that she had mental health issues." Margaret's fortunes dramatically shifted in November 2013. At 48, divorced, and having just visited the job centre, she purchased a Lucky Dip EuroMillions ticket on a sunny day, while living modestly on just £71 a week in her two-bedroom bungalow. She had to double-check her numbers (9, 23, 27, 42 and 44 with Lucky Stars 3 and 5) a staggering ten times before it sunk in that she'd hit the jackpot. After stepping outside for a breather, she spent five hours pacing around her house before ringing Paul to break the news that she was now £27million richer. Paul recalled: "I was the first to be told. We were close right up until the money. But from that day I knew. I told the rest of the family this is not going to be good for Margaret. 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The court was informed that she had been knocking back vodka and was "highly intoxicated after consuming a large amount of alcohol". Margaret has spoken out about the downside of her lottery win, revealing that by 2019 she was down to just £5million and felt victimised by theft. Speaking to Sunday Life, she expressed deep regret: "I will never have peace as long as I live. Even if I didn't have a penny left, I won't. I regret winning the lottery. Of course I do. I was a happy person before. I am a human being and all it has done is destroy my life." In the emotional interview, Margaret, who indulged in a range of vehicles including a VW camper van and a Land Rover, described her hardships: "I have had six years of this. I don't believe in religion, but if there is a hell, I have been in it. It has been that bad. I went down to five-and-a half stone." Besides high-end cars, Margaret poured her winnings into renovating a dilapidated property she called 'the barn' and erected a luxurious £1million home beside her modest bungalow. Ultimately, despite the house resembling a fantasy from Grand Designs, she chose to return to her simple bungalow, with her brother suggesting the grand home was overwhelming for her. (Image: PA) Margaret passed away suddenly in 2021, with no suspicion surrounding her death. Her family stated she died from natural causes following an illness. In the wake of her passing, local councillor Paul Gallagher, her neighbour, paid tribute: "Margaret was well known and did a lot of good, charitable work around the town. People are shocked today." Margaret's legacy of generosity became well-known posthumously, and she spoke to the BBC in 2013 about her philosophy on wealth: "No point having £27m and being lonely. That can't make me happy, that can only make me happy that everybody else's happy and so far everybody is absolutely delighted." Despite winning a huge jackpot, Margaret continued to live in Strabane and became a local benefactor, reportedly covering funeral costs for a family in financial distress and funding medical procedures for others, including paying for gastric band operations. In addition to these acts, Margaret was known for donating to local charities. Grainne Dunne from Knockavoe School, serving children with special needs, reminisced how Margaret visited and followed up with a significant donation, Grainne said: She came to see us a couple of years ago and soon after we received a very substantial donation. She was a modest woman." Anne Ramsay of New Horizons, which supports adults with intellectual disabilities, acknowledged the receipt of a "substantial sum" from Margaret as well. Councillor Paul Gallagher reflected on the impact of her charity, stating: "Covid has put a mighty strain on charities. She had her troubles but Margaret has helped with the survival of these groups and those benefits will be felt for a long, long time to come." Paul, her brother, has expressed concern arguing that jackpots have become excessively large. He commented: "It's time the Government look at the size of jackpots. They need to be capped. A person working in a factory or a call centre like I was can't deal with money like that." In response to his statements back in 2021, the National Lottery's operator said: "Camelot takes its duty of care to winners very seriously and all major winners are offered support and advice for as long as they wish."
