Published: Wednesday, 20th January, 2010 6:02pm

Meet Athlone's new millionaire

by Karen Downey

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There was 'a lotto' luck for an Athlone woman at the weekend when she scooped that first Lotto jackpot of the year, netting herself some €7.4m.

Michelle Ryan, who lives in Fardrum with her partner Tommy Joyce and their seven-year-old son Dylan Thomas, couldn't believe her luck on Saturday night when she realised she was holding the winning ticket.

Speaking to the Westmeath Independent yesterday (Tuesday) morning before heading to Dublin to collect her winnings, Michelle, a native of Castlerea, said they had been out for a meal at a Chinese restaurant and when they got home at about 10pm she checked her ticket.

Tommy, who is a native of Ballymoe, said: "She was saying 'I've four numbers', then five and then six and then she was crying and laughing all at once."

Even as she was heading for Dublin yesterday, Michelle said: "It still hasn't sunk in yet."

She revealed that it was seven-year-old son Dylan who had picked the winning numbers. He selected the numbers about four months ago and she had been doing them ever since. And while the couple spent close on €100 on Saturday's Lotto, they said this week it was money well spent.

Tommy explained that they often spent quite a bit on Lotto tickets when the jackpot was big, but had said to Michelle on Saturday that they must cut back and just spend €10 on the Lotto each week. Luckily for them they didn't cut back last weekend!

Michelle also had five numbers on another line, adding €1,839 to her total winnings of €7,459,196.

And while they have no immediate plans on how they will spend the money, Tommy joked that the first thing Michelle will be doing is upgrading from economy to business class on a work flight planned to China on Monday, which Michelle says will be going ahead.

The couple run a business, Dylan Thomas Imports, which imports goods from China and sells them on to discount stores. Tommy explained that they often flew to China for business and when he was flying they have to fly business class as he has problems with his leg. However, as Michelle would travelling with her brother next week she had planned to fly economy, something she won't have to worry about now.

However, the Lotto win won't affect the business as Michelle said: "It's business as usual." Accompanied by family and friends yesterday as they set off on a bus for Dublin, they were most certainly in high spirits, a feeling that was contagious.

Kathleen Egan, who works as a secretary for Dylan Thomas Imports, revealed that she had dreamed that they would one day be heading off on a bus, saying she always knew either Michelle or Tommy would win it, but said she though it would be Winning Streak, not the Lotto. Quick with a response, Tommy said: "Ah Winning Streak, sure that's only petty cash!" Michelle said that she had initially hoped to keep the win a secret, but after being outed by the media on Monday, that wasn't possible, but yesterday even that couldn't dampen her spirits as she headed for Lotto Headquarters.

The winning €20 ticket was purchased at Kilmartin's Centra at the N6 Centre on Saturday.