By Chance, Did You Win a Cottage in Ireland? One U.S. Marine Officer Did for Just $12.67
When Kathleen Spangler, a 29-year-old U.S. Marine Corps officer, purchased three online raffle tickets for £5 apiece in December, she didn’t expect much. The Instagram promotion promised a chance to win a cottage on 1.75 acres in County Leitrim, Ireland, an offer that seemed more fantasy than feasible. She paid $12.67, took advantage of the buy-two-get-one-free deal, and promptly forgot about it.
In the months that followed, Spangler’s life was anything but ordinary. She gave birth to her third child, relocated from North Carolina to Ohio with her husband Michael, also a Marine officer and began preparations for graduate studies in engineering. Amidst these major life events, the raffle faded from memory.
That changed when she received an unexpected email: she had, in fact, won the Irish property. At first, she was skeptical, suspecting a scam. But after verifying the legitimacy, the news was confirmed she now owned a cottage in Ireland. “Nobody really thinks they’re going to win these things,” she said. “But there’s always a chance, and that’s the fun part.”
The timing couldn’t have been more fitting. Just weeks before entering the raffle, Spangler had received fast-tracked Irish citizenship through her father’s lineage, a process accelerated due to her pregnancy. What began as a symbolic connection to her heritage quickly became a tangible one.
Now, the Spanglers are considering the implications of this unexpected opportunity. Whether the cottage becomes a vacation home, an investment property, or a long-term relocation prospect remains to be seen. For now, it represents a meaningful and unexpected link to Ireland.
In a structured and meticulously planned world, Spangler’s story serves as a rare reminder that serendipity still plays a role and that sometimes, a modest decision made on a whim can open the door to an entirely new chapter.
