Jack Doesn't Really Believe In Luck, But . . .

Illawarra Mercury

Thursday January 22, 1998

A lucky Irishman named Jack won his pot of gold yesterday in The Illawarra Mercury's January Jackpot competition.

Gwynneville grandfather Jack McGrath, 74, scored the major prize in the jackpot competition which attracted a staggering 24,569 entries.

Mr McGrath picked up a computer package from Harvey Norman Superstore, Warrawong, and a bonus $2000 in cash from The Mercury for being a Mercury Gold Card holder.

The father of three encouraged his family and friends to collect entry coupons for him and then dropped off his completed coupons at The Mercury office daily.

Mr McGrath said he had been reading The Mercury and entering newspaper competitions for as long as he could remember.

"I don't really believe in luck but it's a matter of getting the entries in and then if your number comes up . . .," he said grinning.

Mr McGrath, a retired storeman, had planned to shop for groceries after picking up his wife Elma from a club bingo day yesterday afternoon.

But when he arrived at the club in his "good clothes", Mrs McGrath noticed the change.

"My wife looked at me and said: `What's up? Have you won something?'," he said. "I said: `Yes, and we're going to cancel shopping this afternoon'."

Mr McGrath said he had won many competitions, but his first prize was meeting his wife at Casino and then marrying her 48 years ago.

The pair has not decided how to spend the $2000 cash windfall. The computer package comprises a new model Hewlett Packard computer, 5P flat-bed scanner and colour ink jet printer.

Mr McGrath, who joked that he wouldn't know how to switch on his prize, will give the computer to his 10-year-old grandson Joel McGrath.

Joel, an Albion Park Rail Public School student, said he loved computers and was looking forward to setting up the new equipment in his room.

Throughout this month, a number of Samsung products were up for grabs in the January Jackpot competition. Other prizes which have been drawn included 400 family passes to attractions like Australia's Wonderland, Old Sydney Town, Sydney Aquarium and Taronga Zoo; and bikes and bike helmets from Wilson's Discount Bikes.