This article is from page 87 of the 2009-10-20 edition of The Clare People. OCR mistakes are to be expected so download the original SWF or the rendered page 87 JPG
THERE were two Clare winners among the 39 lucky Big Money Game TV gameshow winners who jetted off accompanied by their guests last week to New York City for a six day luxury break,
They won the prize on the Nation- al Lottery’s Big Money Game TV Gameshow, hosted by Derek Moon- ey during the summer months.
Derek accompanied the winners on their fun-filled trip of a life- time and was joined by 2FM’s Will Leahy Show who broadcast live from New York on Tuesday, 13 October. €2,500 spending money each was also thrown in as part of the win.
Mary Cusack from Newmarket-on- Fergus brought her sister Geraldine with her on the trip. It’s her first trip to the USA and she said she was
“very excited at the prospect of go- ing to such an exciting place”.
Mary Gillespie, from Corofin, lives eight miles outside Ennis. Married to Michael, she has three daughters and one son and she took her daughter Niamh with her on the trip.
“Since the children were small, if something was to be decided, their names were put in a saucepan and then the winner was selected. The same principle was applied for the trip to New York,” she said.
Mary works part-time in a jewel- lery and gift shop in Ennis, and has always dreamed of visiting New York. She had plans to visit Central Park, Fifth Avenue and Ellis Island. Niamh and her mum describe them- selves as “big shoppers”.
Once in New York, the group were transported by coach to the luxurious Sofitel Hotel in Midtown Manhattan,
just a short stroll from Times Square, the Empire State Building and Fifth aN etl len
On Saturday evening, the winners enjoyed a meal at the renowned River Café in Brooklyn with a breathtaking panoramic view of the Manhattan skyline by night and Lady Liberty in New York Harbour.
The group were Broadway-bound on Tuesday night, for the critically acclaimed theatrical phenomenon