There were jubilant celebrations at Lotto HQ this Tuesday as 23-year-old Donegal sheep farmer Odhran Doherty picked up his winning cheque for €1m.

Rocking up in a white Hummer with his family and close friends, Odhran described the win as “unimaginable”. The ecstatic crew were running a few minutes late after “forgetting the ticket at home”, they joked.

Amazingly, the Dohertys are second cousins and neighbours with Charlie Meehan, who won €500,000 in the Euromillions just a few weeks ago.

The youngest of the family, Odhran works with his father Liam, who bought the ticket for his son, on their family farm in The Glebe, Letterkenny.

Three tickets

“We were working all day on Saturday on the farm and decided to go to Raphoe for something to eat. Dad called into the shop just to pick up milk and bread, and ended up coming out with three lotto tickets – one for himself, one for my mother Margaret and one for me," Odhran said.

“I was going to a party when I found out. I didn’t realise I had won the jackpot. I was thinking maybe a few thousand if I’m lucky. When I saw the number, there was that many zeros. I couldn’t tell how much it was. I rang Dad to call into town straight away. He thought it was an April Fool's joke.”

When asked about what he would spend his winnings on, he said: “I’m not sure yet. I’ll have to take a few days to relax first. A Massey Ferguson is on the list anyway. Anything for the farm is for him [his father].”

“I’ll definitely be staying at the farming – I love it. We’re actually in the middle of lambing at the minute, so I’ll be back home tomorrow for that. There are late hours and cold nights but it’s a family thing – I like it too much. The money won’t be let go to my head. I have my family beside me and they’ll keep me right anyway.”

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