Donegal woman, originally from the Netherlands, on Winning Streak months after family business heartbreak 

A Dutch woman, living in County Donegal for more than 30 years, will become the latest Donegal person to make an appearance on the National Lottery Winning Streak TV game show on RTÉ One this Saturday, May 11, just months after a fire almost destroyed her family business.

Afke Barr from Buncrana, is originally from the Freisland in the Netherlands but has lived in Ireland for 33 years. Afke moved to Ireland and at first spend time travelling around the country. She met her husband John in Listowel at the All Ireland Fleadh and got married in the years that followed and now 33 years later the pair have two daughters in their twenties, Caoimhe and Orla.

Afke’s Winning Streak appearance is a result of an unfortunate tragedy following a fire at their business premises in Buncrana which saw the ‘John Barr’ Drapery store burn down last February. Thanks to help from the Buncrana community, the business shortly reopened at another premises and a good luck card containing a lucky Winning Streak ticket was the one which was pulled out by Winning Streak presenters Marty Whelan and Sinead Kennedy.

There was an outpouring of emotion from all in Buncrana who were delighted to see Afke Barr being called to appear on the show and she has had incredible support from the entire community who wish her the best on the show.

Afke will be surrounded by her close friends and neighbours in the RTÉ studios on Saturday evening and she hopes that her family’s luck following the fire is about to change with a big win on the show.

The Winning Streak National Lottery game show, co-presented by Marty Whelan and Sinead Kennedy, will be broadcast this Saturday evening at 8.30pm on RTÉ One. The show features games such as Play or Pay, Roll for Riches, WinFall and Electric Dream – where one player will win an electric car worth €25,000.

As ever one of the lucky five players will get the chance to spin the wheel and win up to €500,000.  Throughout this series a €100,000 segment will be added to the iconic Grand Prize Wheel every show if less than that was won in the previous show, improving players chances to win a massive prize.

Nearly 30 cent in every €1 spent on Winning Streak and all National Lottery games go back to Good Causes in the areas of sport, youth, health, welfare, education, arts and heritage. In total more than €5.4 billion has been raised for Good Causes since the National Lottery was established 31 years ago. In 2018 alone, the National Lottery raised over €227 million for such good causes.