THEY say the world is your oyster and that has certainly been the case for Dungiven man Shawn Keeley since he scooped an incredible £1m win on a National Lottery Scratchcard two years ago.
rom scuba diving and full moon beach parties in Thailand to volcano climbing and Sam Feldt DJ concerts in Bali, the finance graduate from the Ulster University has certainly put his newfound fortune to good use, travelling the world but also helping his family and friends.
Now high-flying Shawn (28) is jetting off on his latest adventure — a new life down under in Australia.
Shawn became a National Lottery millionaire after buying his winning Scratchcard at McNicholl’s Eurospar on Station Road, Dungiven, the store he was actually managing at the time.
All of a sudden, his dreams to see the world became a real possibility, but Covid restrictions were in full force so he had to put any globetrotting ambitions on hold, instead using this time to plan and sort out a few important matters closer to home.
Shawn Keeley with his bags before heading to Australia on a one-year visa
First up was a much-needed hernia operation for which he was able to go private after a long wait on the NHS.
“When I won on The National Lottery in August, there was so much that I wanted to do, especially to travel and see the world,” said Shawn. “But I’d been having a lot of trouble with a hernia which I really needed to get sorted first. The waiting list wasn’t moving because of Covid so, with my winnings, I booked myself in for private surgery a month later and was out of action and off work for the next six or seven weeks.
“After I’d recovered from the operation, we still weren’t allowed to travel due to Covid but I started running again and booked myself a private trainer to get myself into shape for when the travel restrictions would be lifted.”
Health issues sorted, Shawn then went about living the millionaire lifestyle and, as he had promised after his win, he paid off his parents’ mortgage and fixed up the front of their house with a new driveway and garden shed.
He treated himself to a brand new Range Rover, bought his younger brother Gavin a Mercedes and gave his existing Volkswagen Golf to his mum and dad.
Shawn Keeley on holiday
Shawn loved his job as manager of the local Eurospar so, while unable to travel, he kept working in the store — where a plaque now displays the words, ‘Millionaire created in this store’. Shawn recalls a visitor asking him if he knew the winner.
“She was very surprised when I replied, ‘Yeah, it’s me’,” he laughed.
Finally, Covid travel restrictions started to ease and it was time for Shawn to book those long-awaited flights to far-flung destinations.
“I’d always wanted to travel to South East Asia so I contacted my travel agent and made enquiries about booking a back-packing holiday — my first ever solo travelling trip,” said Shawn.
“After a number of frustrating Covid-related cancellations, I finally departed Ireland for Thailand on the 19th of February this year, and I haven’t really looked back since.”
Shawn flew first class, which he admitted was “amazing”, with Emirates to Thailand, where he stayed for six weeks, before moving on to Manilla in the Philippines for a further three weeks.
Shawn Keeley on holiday
After a short trip home to Ireland for his cousin’s wedding and a friend’s stag weekend, he got itchy feet again and booked another first class trip in May — this time to Bali, flying onwards to Vietnam in June and back to the Philippines in July. In August, he came home to take his god-daughter on a promised holiday to Albufeira in Portugal, returning for just two days before embarking on a six-week holiday in South America to take in the sights of Ecuador, Peru, Bolivia and Columbia.
Now, after a week back in Ireland, Shawn has packed his bags for a final time before flying off to a new life in Sydney, Australia. A one-year visa will give him an opportunity to “test the water” first before he makes any permanent decision about his future.
“Since Covid restrictions were lifted, my feet literally haven’t touched the ground,” said Shawn, “and it’s all thanks to my National Lottery win.
“I’ve had the most amazing experiences, travelling the world, seeing sights and places that I never thought a lad from Dungiven would see. Now I’m flying off to Australia, where I have friends and family, to see if a life Down Under would suit me well. I have a one-year visa so I’m thinking that I’ll rent a house and just see how I get on. Who knows if I’ll stay there afterwards but I’m open-minded to the possibility.”
Shawn Keeley celebrates becoming Northern Ireland’s latest National Lottery millionaire
With a university degree in finance and investment analysis, Shawn is careful to mix pleasure in the present with planning for the future.
“Winning on The National Lottery is a life-changing event and I want to make the most of my good fortune,” said Shawn. “So, I’ve carefully invested a significant amount of my winnings across a broad spectrum of stocks and shares that will hopefully ensure that I enjoy the benefits of my win, not just now but for the rest of my life.
“I’m still on cloud nine, though, and not back to reality just yet. I still find it all very surreal and although I’ve done loads and had an absolute ball, I have to keep pinching myself to believe that it’s really happened.
“It’s definitely the best thing that has ever happened to me. The opportunities and the freedom that it gives you just makes everything easier.
“It really has changed my life for the better in so many ways, but at the same time I’m happy that I still have all the same friends, who have certainly helped keep my feet on the ground, and the local community in Dungiven has been very supportive, not treating me any differently in any way.”
Shawn Keeley on holiday
Shawn continued: “I’ve also made new friends on my travels, with whom I’ll remain in contact and hopefully meet from time-to-time in some exotic location.
“It’s funny, they didn’t know who I was or anything about me for the first few weeks, then eventually someone found my National Lottery-winning photo and story online. So I had to come clean and tell them my amazing story, but they were cool and treated me no differently.
“I know I’m an incredibly lucky man and I’m truly grateful for everything that has happened — not just winning in the first place but also the support of Camelot and everyone around me.
“We never think that something like this will ever happen to us but I, and other Northern Ireland winners that I’ve met since, are living proof that it really can and does happen to anyone.
“The winners I’ve met from here are such lovely, normal, down -to-earth people and I really hope that more and more people in Northern Ireland get the chance to experience and enjoy this wonderful and incredible journey for themselves.”