OFFICIALS from the Irish Lottery were last night reported to have travelled to a small island in west Cork in a bid to trace the winner of a €500,000 jackpot.
The winning ticket - a Quick Pick - was sold on Monday at the post office on Bere Island, which has only 180 inhabitants.
As of last night, no one had yet come forward to claim the €500,000 prize.
Mary Murphy, who runs the post office, said it was "amazing" to learn she had sold a winning ticket.
"I can't believe it," she said.
"Everyone has been ringing me now, the phones are going mad. I never thought when I answered the phone yesterday that I would be told I had sold the winning ticket."
Ms Murphy said she had sold "a couple" of tickets to people from outside the island but said she believed the winning ticket had been "bought by a local".
However, she added that even if she did find out the identity of the lucky winner, she would not be making it public.
"Even if I do, I can't say anything, I am not allowed," she said.
"It's up to the person themselves to come forward. I really don't know if they will or not, or if they want to remain anonymous".
