Lucky hurler lands new car in draw – sponsored by his family garage!

Thirteen is unlucky for some but it has turned out to be the luckiest number for Galway and Portumna senior hurling star, Damien Hayes.

Hayes has worn the number 13 on his maroon and white and yellow and blue Galway and Portumna jerseys for over two decades, which has brought considerable success on the hurling field . . . no wonder then he was delighted that he drew the number 13 in the draw for the Portumna Credit Union bi-annual car draw this Christmas.

Damien was one of 620 credit union members who entered the draw for a new car, which, coincidentally, happened to be sponsored by his father’s well-known garage in Portumna, Al Hayes Motors.

After a random shuffle by the computer, he was whittled down to be one of six lucky entrants in finale ‘live’ car draw, which was held at the credit union on St Patrick’s Street in the town.

Then, after a complex process of elimination, through picking of envelopes and numbers – it’d be easier break out of Fort Knox! – Damien eventually ended up the last man standing and won the brand new Volkswagen Polo.

Tom O’Connor, Manager of Portumna Credit Union, said the fact that Damien was one of the six finalists aroused curiosity in the town and ensured a huge crowd at the credit union’s main office. Mr O’Connor said there was a Peace Commissioner present to oversee the draw. “Thirteen is Damien’s lucky number,” said Mr O’Connor.

“The family were all saying that something good is going to happen the same day next year. Last year I got married to Clare, this year I won a car – what will happen next year?” asked the sharpshooter.

Damien Hayes has been a member of the credit union for two decades and has entered the car draw every year.

For more on this story, see this week’s Connacht Tribune