Laois people gave Limerick winners of €100 k John Deere a 'mighty day'

The Limerick winners of a John Deere were given a great day out in Clough when they were presented with the winning €100,000 John Deere tractor in a community raffle won in the name of their dog Toby.

Philomena and Patsy Dalton, from Galbally, have quite the 'tail' to tell after Toby’s name was pulled out of a raffle in Mary's Bar Clough on St Patrick's Day.

Mr Dalton bought the ticket at a machinery auction in Portlaoise ahead of the draw on St Patrick’s Day. It was organised by Clough Community Vision group to fundraise for a community centre in the village.

It was pure luck that Mr Dalton was there that day as he had previously forgotten the tax book for a jeep he was selling and had to come back again. He bought two raffle tickets for €50 and put down the names of the couple’s beloved pooches Toby and Susie. MORE BELOW PICTURE.

Mrs Dalton said it is the "biggest thing they have ever won in their lives". The spoke about how they learned they had won.

"We were at a local wedding - Eamon McCormack and Ellen McGrath - on St Patrick’s Day in the Ballykisteen House Hotel. We were just finishing the main course when these strange numbers ringing Patsy’s phone.

"We couldn’t really hear the person with the noise inside so we had to sit into the car in the car-park and ring the number. We thought at first it was somebody inside the wedding having us on,” said Mrs Dalton, who worked as a nurse for 25 years in the Daughters of Charity in Limerick city.

She says they "wouldn't go anywhere without Toby" so they had to bring him to the presentation in Clough on Friday, complete with a Limerick riband around his neck. MORE BELOW PICTURE.

Mr Dalton said they had a "mighty day". 

"They gave us a great welcome. There were about 60 people. All the children wanted photos with Toby. They are lovely people,” said Patsy, who hails from Garryspillane and played minor hurling with Limerick when he was a young fellow.

The Daltons, who would be well known from being the previous owners of the Bit and Bridle Inn in Limerick Junction, have a beef farm in Elton. However, Toby won’t need to upgrade his dog licence to a tractor licence as Mr Dalton picked the €100,000 instead of the John Deere 6100M Series.  

"I’ll be taking the money. It’s a very modern tractor. I’m 72 - it was hard enough to get up on the tractor not to mind coming down out of it," laughed Mr Dalton, who turned 72 the day after they found out about their big win.

He says he loves dogs and cats and years ago won a raffle in Tipperary under a previous dog’s name, Scottie. Mr Dalton is on a roll as he won €140 in Galbally GAA’s split the sport draw a couple of weeks ago.

And the winner is ... Winning ticket drawn in Laois for €100 k John Deere tractor prize

But he can’t compare with Toby’s €100,000 win. As Clough Community Vision Committee’s fundraising target from the raffle fell short by €1,500, Mr Dalton generously said he would cover that. The organising committee greatly appreciate the gesture as they weren't expecting it.

Mrs Dalton said the couple have worked hard all their lives but now they can start to to relax a small bit knowing they have that extra win in the background thanks to Toby.

In Pictures: Even the Limerick dogs are winners - Laois community gives away John Deere

She boiled up some tasty bones for Toby, and Susie, during the week as a thank you!