Tyrone poker player heads off to Bahamas

A Cookstown man has won a poker holiday to the Bahamas, worth $30,000 (£24,000), to play in the PokerStars Players No Limit Hold'em Championship (PSPC), which PokerStars aims to make the richest $25,000 buy in live event poker history.
By The Newsroom
Published 21st Dec 2018, 15:54 BST
Updated 10th Jan 2019, 10:39 BST

Fifty-one-year-old Shaun Lennon won the Platinum Pass after being shortlisted in the PokerStars #TeamIreland competition, where he was nominated by friends and family as a deserving member of the Irish poker community to win a pass.

The father-of-five was nominated for being a long-term poker player and enthusiast, community contributor, wonderful father, neighbour, and friend.

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Shaun who has worked as a floor screeder -laying concrete floors - for 30 years, will be joining 11 other Irish players as part of the #TeamIreland contingent that will be heading to the Caribbean in January.

After his win, he said he was “delighted to have been chosen as part of the #TeamIreland nomination” and “felt humbled” just be shortlisted alongside the other talented players - Dara O’Kearney, Wilhelmine Connolly, Alan Gilmore, Mick McCloskey, David Scully, and Patrick Clarke.

The PSPC Platinum Pass includes $25,000 buy-in to the tournament, six nights’ accommodation at the Atlantis Resort, Nassau, room folio and travel expenses.

He will play against some of the world’s best poker players at the tournament in January.

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Shaun received nominations for being a long-term poker player and enthusiast, community contributor, wonderful father, neighbour, and friend.

A spokesperson for PokerStars said: “Playing poker for over 30 years, an underlying theme amongst the feedback about Shaun is that he is the best friend of everyone on the Irish poker scene. Clearly someone who looks out for families and the elderly, as well as those new to poker, those needing support on the poker scene, and someone who brings fun and laughter wherever he goes.”