A dairy farmer from Co. Tipperary will be hoping to go on a Winning Streak of his own when he appears on the National Lottery Winning Streak TV game show, on RTE One, this evening, Saturday, March 23.
Jim Delahunty from Carrig admitted the presence of a few nerves ahead of his Winning Streak appearance but said he was looking forward to the experience. He was busy at work when his phone rang to break the news of his selection. It was his brother Stephen telling him that his ticket had been pulled out on Winning Streak.
Jim didn’t believe him and hung up but seconds later got a similar call from his cousin. It wasn’t until Stephen sent him a picture of his name on screen that he began to believe the good news.
Jim has been married to Pauline for over 20 years and they have two children: Colm (14) and Sarah (11). They are, he said, buzzing with excitement and have been busy in school making banners. Jim is the youngest of seven, some of whom will travel to cheer him on in Dublin while others will watch on TV.
In his spare time Jim enjoys sport and is a Tipperary hurling fan and also supports Munster rugby. He said he didn’t have specific plans for his winnings but is sure Colm and Sarah will put a dent in his windfall.
Earlier time
The game show, co-presented by Marty Whelan and Sinead Kennedy, will be broadcast this evening at the earlier than usual time of 7:10pm on RTE One.
It features perennial favourite games as well as new ones including: play or pay; roll for riches; winfall; and electric dream, where one player will win an electric car worth €25,000.
One of the five players will get the chance to spin the wheel and win up to €500,000. This series a €100,000 segment has been added to the grand prize wheel every show if less than that was won in the previous show, improving players’ chances to win a big prize.
Hip replacement duo
Last month, two farmers who recently underwent hip replacement operations shared €75,000 when they appeared on Winning Streak.
Chris Tansey from Swinford in Co. Mayo, and Tommy Durr from Ballinagard in Co. Roscommon, won the top two amounts on the show, with Chris scooping €42,000 after spinning the wheel; and Tommy taking €33,000.
Mayo’s Chris Tansey is feeling spritely despite undergoing surgery to replace a hip in December. He said that the Winning Streak experience was uplifting for him and his family. Daughter Corrina gave him a gift of the Winning Streak scratch card when he left hospital.
Chris, who was watching the show with his wife Irene and granddaughter Shauna when his name was announced, said he had been inundated with phone calls; good luck cards; letters; and messages.
Married for 43 years, Chris has four adult children – Damien; Adrian; Nicola; and Corrina – all of whom were in the Winning Streak studio to cheer him on. He is also a proud granddad and several of his 12 grandchildren cheered him on from the audience.
His two sons have been helping him on the farm since his surgery. Chris likes all sports including: soccer; rugby; GAA; boxing; and racing. He is a keen Mayo GAA fan and remains hopeful of Sam Maguire going to Mayo, even if he has been heartbroken many times in recent years.
Returned from mass
Roscommon man Tommy Durr said he hadn’t any immediate plans for his winnings and would wait for the dust to settle. He said he had never bought a scratch card in his life but was gifted a Winning Streak scratch card by a family friend after his discharge from hospital.
He had just returned home from mass and had made a cup of tea when he tuned into Winning Streak and heard his name announced.
Tommy is dad to five children – Padraig; Hughie; PJ; Rosemary; and Suzanne – and granddad to 15 grandchildren. All his children and 11 of his grandchildren were in RTE to cheer him on in the Winning Streak studio.
Tommy said his winnings would go towards looking after his family. He plans to take a pilgrimage to Medjugorje later in the year with a group from his parish.