Party time! Staff at Limerick manufacturer celebrate €500k EuroMillions syndicate win

IT’S official. Long after the rumour machine spread word of a lucky syndicate in Abbeyfeale, comes confirmation that 68 colleagues at Kostal have won themselves a share of a €500,000 EuroMillions Plus Draw. 

The draw took place on October 18 but the lucky winners only collected their winnings this Tuesday. Each person will take home a little over €7,000. 

“With so many people in the syndicate, there wasn’t a hope that we could have kept this quiet,” said Michael Herlihy who has been running the syndicate for his colleagues for over nine years. “ Most of the group have been celebrating since the day after the draw and there has been great excitement in the surrounding communities of Abbeyfeale who are delighted for our win.” 

The syndicate is made up of 68 colleagues, from Limerick, Kerry and Cork who work together on the night shift at Kostal, one of Abbeyfeale’s main employers which manufactures electronic systems for the motor industry. 

“It’s a lot of work maintaining a work syndicate, especially when you have to look after 68 subscriptions on a regular basis, it becomes hard work in itself. With that being said, the win is all the sweeter when you travel to Lottery HQ with your colleagues to pick up a chequer for a half a million euros,” Mr Herlihy said. 

“At the end of the day, we’ve won €500,000 between 68 members and that is a lot of money. Everybody has their own plans which includes car upgrades and holidays but most importantly, two of the group are getting married this year so this win will go a long way to helping them out with their bills,” he added. 

The winning ticket was bought the week before the draw at Twohigs SuperValu in the town. 

While the 68 strong syndicate represents a sizeable group to win a National Lottery top prize, it still falls some way short of the record for the biggest ever National Lottery syndicate win which stands at 291 syndicate members from Confey GAA Club in Kildare who won a Lotto prize of €205,520 in 2004.