Luck, if not lightening, struck twice for the Murphy family of Meenleitrim, Knocknagoshel in the annual Browne’s Agri, Steel and Builders’ Providers Christmas Draw at its Castleisland base on Friday afternoon. Séamus Murphy’s name was, eventually, called out after a little playful teasing by store manager and MC John Daly.
Picking the highly anticipated winning ticket, Mr. Daly cleared his throat twice, adjusted his tie once, tipped his glasses back to the bridge of his nose and, in the absence of a drum-roll, announced “Meinleitrim” and there was an immediate if cautious reaction from a section of the floor. Members of the Murphy clan were there in force and, as it emerged, for a good reason.
During the subsequent family photographs, Mr. Murphy’s mother, Kathleen revealed: “Didn’t I win the same prize here a couple of years ago and ’tis still to the good. We come in when we want something and ’tis great to have it,” she said.
Mossie O’Leary from Lyreacrompane also did very well for himself with second prize of a €1,500 voucher for Browne’s. As did Marie Burke of Sandville who won two ton of coal. Eileen Lynch, who appeared on the RTÉ 1 game-show, Winning Streak a few years ago, was also among the winners with a ton of coal. Eileen explained that when she filled in the winning ticket she included her grandson, Kevin’s name. “Anytime I put his name on a ticket or bingo card I win something and I did the very same here and look at that,” said a delighted Eileen.
The Browne’s Agri, Steel and Builders Providers Christmas Draw is now firmly established as a seasonal tradition in Castleisland. That the spacious store on the South Circular Road was packed to close to capacity for the final draw on Friday afternoon speaks for itself. There were people in attendance from all over the county – at least and a handful from beyond.
However, a list of the addresses of the various winners – as they were being called out by manager John Daly – clearly demonstrates that Castleisland’s long held Market Town culture and image is surviving and thriving.
In the course of his cupla focal of welcome at the outset, Mr. Daly informed the gathering that the company had the staggering total of 90,000 tickets printed and that there was more than three quarters of them in the draw drum beside him.
He had local Peace Commissioner, Vincent Murphy by his side throughout the proceeding and the stipulations of the event were upheld in accordance with the law – a kind of Murphy’s Law without the misfortune.
Browne’s is one of the oldest establishments in Castleisland now and is one of those known the length and breadth of the county and well beyond.
While names and addresses from the immediate area and its hinterland abound on the list, there is also a fair representation from areas with little or no links or associations with business in the town. You can only put that down to the attraction of doing business in the noted, value-for-money, market town.
Browne’s Agri Christmas Draw 2014 Winners
First Prize of a €2,000 Shopping Voucher for Browne’s: Séamus Murphy, Meinleitrim, Knocknagoshel.
Second Prize of a €1,500 Shopping Voucher for Browne’s: Mossie O’Leary, Lyreacrompane.
Third Prize of Two Ton of Premium Polish Coal: Marie Burke, Sandville, Castleisland.
Fourth Prize of One Ton of Premium Polish Coal: Eileen Lynch and Kevin Kelliher, Caheragh, Castleisland.
Fifth Prize of a Half-Ton of Peat Briquettes: Martina and Caoimhe O’Neill, Lissavigeen Upper, Killarney.
