A dental hygienist has scooped a staggering $41 million in the New York state lottery.
Niamh Finnan, 44, heard the news while visiting family in Ireland and immeditaely flew back to her husband Donal, at their home in Yonkers, US.
Niamh said: ‘I was in Ireland visiting family when Donal called with the news. I made him repeat it to my mother to make sure he was telling the truth. I knew by the tone of his voice it was true.’
The couple, originally from County Kildare, accepted the $41 million cheque from the New York state lottery.
The Finnans are one of the biggest individual winners in the state’s Lotto history.
‘My husband’s the one who spent $10 on a ticket,’ said Niamh, who settled in Yonkers 25 years ago.
She now plans to continue working as a dental hygienist. The pair say they have no plans to blow the cash and have instead decided to ‘fix up’ their house – and may splash out on a new garden shed.
The win amounts to €29.5 million – or €15 million after taxes.
