Lucky mum bags £2,000 raffle prize from Sarah Jessica Parker

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By Catherine Lynagh
Monday Jul 18 2011

A Donegal mother-of-three has bagged a slice of Hollywood history.

To the delight of Killybegs Women's Group, Breege McShane, from Kilcar, won the handbag donated by Sarah Jessica Parker.

The now legendary Paco Rabanne Le 69 bag, worth an estimated £2,000, was graciously handed over by the Sex and the City star to the ladies group which meets close to her Irish holiday home.

Included with the bag was a handwritten note from the Carrie Bradshaw actress.

It read: "With all my love to all at ladies night. I miss Ireland and send my best wishes. SJ."

Parker and her husband, Matthew Broderick, have holidayed in Donegal for many years.

Tickets for the raffle sold like hot cakes following the inclusion of the actress' bag.

As more tickets went, the odds of a local woman winning the coveted bag diminished. In fact, of all the other raffles on the night, it is thought not one was won by a Donegal woman.

So then picture Breege McShane's face when she received a phone call at home fresh out of the shower to say the bag was hers.

"I couldn't believe it. A friend of mine had bought the ticket for me and I hadn't thought much of it.

"Because so many tickets had been sold I didn't think I would have had a chance.

"I think I am the only local woman to win something. I am absolutely delighted," she told the Belfast Telegraph.

"I got the phonecall at around 11pm and it was a bit of a rush to get to the event, but obviously totally worth it."

Even more remarkably, Breege lives only three miles away from where the star has her holiday home.

"People around here respect Sarah's privacy. She is very friendly. I have said hello to her and she stopped for a wee talk," she said.

The mother of three boys said the win has been some- what lost on her immediate family.

"My boys obviously don't really care and my husband just thinks it's another bag.

"But, I have two sisters and lots of girlfriends who have already been round to the house to see it.

"They are in awe like I am. They love it."

The Donegal woman said the bag also makes a fabulous belated 40th birthday present.

For now the bag is in its box waiting for Breege to get the courage to wear it in public.

"I don't know where I will store it. I'm a bit nervous about wearing it," she said.

Factfile

The Paco Rabanne Le 69 handbag is a chainmail design which was re-issued earlier this year following its late '60s and early '70s popularity. It was designed in 1969 and was Rabanne's first 'it' bag - a symbol of the swinging '60s which was designed to match his metallic mini dresses. Brigitte Bardot was a fan of the bag, which was chosen by the Design Museum in London as "one of the 50 bags that changed the world".

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