By Sean Moriarty

Well-known woman Lara O’Brien won €23,544.93 in a national radio competition and promptly donated half of it to Kerry Parents and Friends (KPF).

Lara won the cash windfall on Today FM’s daily ‘Cash Machine’ competition.

Listeners to Bauer Media’s group of radio stations (Today FM, Newstalk, 98FM, SPIN 1038 and SPIN South West) must listen each day for a daily magic number. Once they enter the competition by text, radio station presenters select a random phone number to call. If the listener can give the correct magic number they win the cash prize.

Lara’s numbers aligned on Thursday last when her mobile was called by the radio station and she was able to give the correct answer.

As the competition had not been won for quite a while the rollover jackpot was a staggering €23,544.93.

Lara, whose daughter Charlie has Down Syndrome, decided to donate exactly half of her jackpot to KPF.

“I often see their bus on the road and always said if I ever won anything big I would do something for Kerry Parents and Friends,” Lara told the Killarney Advertiser.

"It came to €11,777.64, I got the bank draft on Wednesday and bank staff were asking why can’t I just round it up or down, but I said no way, I am giving exactly half.

“I made one stipulation, they can use €10,000 for whatever they need for the bus or the upkeep of the place, but the remaining €1,777.64 must be used to throw a party. Everybody needs a party and Kerry Parents and Friends turns 50 next year and I am delighted to say that the money will be used to throw a party for everyone associated with Kerry Parents and Friends in January.”

Lara will make her presentation to KPFA on Monday.