Galway family’s Winning Streak strikes twice

Lightning is about to strike twice for one Ballinasloe family with a lucky son following in his father’s footsteps onto Winning Streak.

Former Ballinasloe and Galway goalkeeper Willie Devlin will be making an appearance on the popular TV game show – 20 years after his father Michael appeared on the programme back in 1996.

At the time Michael Devlin, who passed away seven years ago, won the princely sum of £6,500 – and this his son will be joined by eight of the supporters to made the same journey to Dublin 20 years ago.

Among these are bus drivers Sean and Paul Kenny who will be transporting the 22 strong group from Ballinasloe there to support Willie (68), who will be accompanied by his wife of 47 years, Maureen.

It has been something of a roller-coaster couple of months for Willie who recently spent three weeks with his son Nigel in Australia and then spent another three weeks with another son Jason in New Zealand.

Jason Devlin is a former Sinn Fein Ballinasloe town councillor who is now a highly ranked policeman in New Zealand.

And it seems that luck is on his side as Willie loves the occasional flutter and had a fiver each way on the 33/1 Rule The World that won the Aintree Grand National on Saturday.

See full story in this week’s Connacht Tribune.