Frances Connolly says she has donated about half of the €127 million EuroMillions jackpot she won with her husband Paddy in 2019. The County Armagh woman has set up a charitable trust to support good causes and estimates that roughly €63.5 million of the prize has now been given away. Across Ireland, conditions were 53F with overcast clouds and 91% humidity (as of September 2026).
The Connollys’ win remains one of the largest EuroMillions prizes claimed by an Irish ticket-holder. Speaking about the couple’s charitable work, Frances Connolly said the money has been directed towards organisations and causes through the trust.
Frances and Paddy Connolly won the €127 million EuroMillions prize in January 2019. The scale of the windfall immediately placed the couple among Ireland’s biggest lottery winners, but their subsequent plans have centred heavily on charitable giving.
Connolly believes the couple have now distributed half of their winnings. The figure is her assessment of donations made since the jackpot was collected, not a published audited breakdown of every grant made by the trust.
The charitable trust provides a structured way for the Connollys to fund causes over time. It allows donations to be made beyond individual, one-off gifts and gives the couple a vehicle for continuing their philanthropy years after the lottery draw.
Connolly’s estimate puts the value of donations at approximately €63.5 million, based on half of the original €127 million prize. No further details on the precise allocation of that amount were provided.
Large lottery wins often bring intense public interest, particularly when recipients choose to reveal how the money has been used. In this case, the Connollys’ decision to place a substantial share of the prize into charitable activity has kept their 2019 win in the public conversation long after the draw itself.
The announcement also underlines the difference between a headline jackpot and the long-term decisions that follow it. For the Connollys, the prize has become a source of funding for community and charitable work as well as a life-changing personal windfall.
The reported figure remains an estimate given by Connolly. It reflects the couple’s stated commitment to giving away a major portion of the money, while the specific beneficiaries and individual donation amounts have not been detailed.
Matt Hook is a Canadian writer of Scottish and Irish heritage. He built his writing career creating detailed gaming guides, turning complex mechanics, history and lore into useful information for readers. Matt brings that same research-focused approach to Ireland Wide, where he writes about Irish travel, heritage, history and culture. He also holds CMA and CPA designations as a professional accountant, giving him a strong background in research, accuracy and attention to detail.
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