Written 5 days ago by Newsroom

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A midlands school syndicate has picked up a cheque for over €52,000 after a 30 year wait for a Lotto win.

29 current and former staff of St Hilda’s Special School in Athlone matched the numbers of the Lotto Match 5 Plus Bonus last Saturday, and collected their winnings in Dublin yesterday.

The syndicate was set up three decades ago, and school Principal Pia Farrell believes it could be the oldest in the country.

St Hilda’s caters for pupils with moderate, severe and profound learning disabilities aged between 4 and 18 years.

“It is a very special school and we are currently going through a new build and are fund raising. Our pupils are very special to us all we are privileged to be working here” said Pia.

The staff are planning to fundraise for a sensory garden, something which Pia said would be very beneficial to their 42 pupils.

The syndicate include ex principal Anne Gately, who retired last year, and one of the few male staff members of the school Nigel Farrell, a special needs assistant.

The happy group travelled by bus to National Lottery headquarters from Athlone after school hours on Wednesday – and said the pupils were very excited to hear of their teacher’s good fortune.