Frances and Patrick Connolly

Frances and Patrick Connolly, of Moira in Northern Ireland, won £114,969,775.70 in the EuroMillions draw on New Year's Day, 1 January 2019 — then the fourth-largest prize in UK National Lottery history. Frances, a former social worker and teacher, had bought the Lucky Dip ticket online that evening, having forgotten to pick one up during a shopping trip earlier in the day. The couple, who have three daughters and had lived in Hartlepool for about 25 years before returning to Northern Ireland, went public on 4 January 2019 and said they had already drawn up a list of about 50 relatives, friends and causes to share the money with. Frances intervened to halt the sale of her sister Sharon Bordessa's house, which Sharon had put on the market when she moved to care for their late mother; Sharon said two homes were saved as a result. The Connollys set up the PFC Trust, which funds good causes in north-east England — buying respite caravans for young carers and paying for loneliness projects, emergency food parcels, digital equipment for older people and defibrillators for sports clubs.

In September 2026, around her 60th birthday, Frances Connolly said she had given away about half of the £115 million and that "it's in mankind to share when you get to a level where you've got enough." Seven athletes launched a "60 for 60" fundraising challenge for the PFC Trust, starting with a family day at Middlesbrough Velodrome and finishing with the Great North Run.