Road to Miss Universe IRELAND 2019 is Nasa data analyst Fionnghuala O’Reilly

**bonner** Sat Jan 12, 2019 6:36 am

Miss Universe IRELAND 2019

**bonner** Sat Jan 12, 2019 6:40 am

We believe the next @missuniverse is in #Ireland and YOU could be her! 👑 Apply today to join the #sisterhood of Queen’s ☘️You will be training with our international team, some of the BEST in the industry. Applications are now open so visit ➡️

http://missuniverseireland.eu/apply-2019/

**bonner** Sat Jan 12, 2019 6:41 am

The search is on for Miss Universe Ireland.

I am happy for this country for having their first back to back placement

**bonner** Thu Jun 27, 2019 1:21 am

Miss Universe Ireland 2018

**bonner** Thu Jun 27, 2019 1:24 am

Official headshots of 2019 contestants

**bonner** Thu Jun 27, 2019 1:26 am

Aoife Marie Carty is currently studying to earn her bachelor’s degree in Business and Management at Maynooth University. After graduation, her ambition is to start her own Irish business either in the cosmetics or clothing industry. She wants to be her own boss and a self-made entrepreneur. Aoife believes that her creativity, enthusiasm, and diligence will aid her in achieving this goal and she hopes to have achieved this all within the next ten years. Alongside her own successful business, she wants to manage her own charity organisation to give back and to help the Irish community. The specific charity that she is focusing on is Down Syndrome Ireland. In October 2018, she was a participant in Millennial of the Year, which helped fundraise over €300,000 for Employability. This programme trains and educates people in specific employment roles so that they can realize their ambitions of finding a job, participating in society, and living an independent life. In Ireland, less than 5% of people with Down Syndrome attain full-time employment and this needs to change

Road to Miss Universe IRELAND 2019 is Nasa data analyst Fionnghuala O’Reilly 11204

**bonner** Thu Jun 27, 2019 1:29 am

Tracey Coll is currently studying Exercise, Health, and Fitness at the University of Limerick. After she finishes her degree, she hopes to do a masters in Exercise and Sport Science. When she is a qualified health professional, she aims to be able to help and encourage others to live a healthy lifestyle. Currently, as a Fitness Instructor, she gets so much joy out of helping others feel healthy, happy, and confident. This Rugby star has used her passion for fitness to dominate the pitch. She played against the first ever women’s Barbarian team. The Barbarians are a selection of the best rugby players from all over the world and Tracey played for her province Munster. Not only was it her first ever senior match, it was such a big movement for women’s sport. It was the first ever women’s game played in the beautiful Thomand Park against the first ever female Barbarians team! Additionally, she is very interested in getting involved with the Community Crisis Response Team, which is an organization that uses trained volunteers to travel to those in a suicidal distress 356 days of the year. She is encouraged and touched by the incredible volunteers around the city of Limerick that spend every evening looking out for people in need. These volunteers have saved the lives of so many in Limerick and the work they do is incredible.

Road to Miss Universe IRELAND 2019 is Nasa data analyst Fionnghuala O’Reilly 65011410

**bonner** Thu Jun 27, 2019 1:34 am

Melanie Delaney Returning TOP 5 Finalist at MUI 2018, this ambitious, compassionate, and outgoing woman is an Oncology Pharmaceutical Technician, at St. Vincent's Private Hospital where she makes chemotherapy for patients undergoing cancer treatment. She has overcome dyslexia to pursue a career in the male dominated medical and healthcare sector. When she was in primary school she was told she had quite severe dyslexia that was having a huge impact on her school and personal life. Being a child with dyslexia and spending most of her childhood and all her adolescent years in education made school life extremely challenging for her. She remembers asking her parents if she would ever be able to read or write because of how much she struggled in the early years of primary school. However challenging she found things, she never looked at having dyslexia as something that would hold her back in life, but rather she saw it as a challenge she had to face and overcome. “We all face challenges in life, it’s overcoming these challenges that make us who we are.” Today, she now makes lifesaving/life-prolonging drug treatments for cancer patients every day. This is something she could never have imagined she would be able to do when she was a little girl and therefore is very proud to achieve the success she has.

Road to Miss Universe IRELAND 2019 is Nasa data analyst Fionnghuala O’Reilly 65214610

**bonner** Thu Jun 27, 2019 2:19 am

Alexandra Anna Doyle just finished her second year as a business student at UCD while she concurrently works in the finance department as an Administrator and Accounts Assistant for an insurance company. Don’t let her beauty fool you; she is a rugby star that was on the Leinster U19 Development Girls team, captained her touch team, and has played in the highest women’s rugby league in Ireland. Naturally, she is very passionate about organisations that support women in sport. This year an initiative was launched by the Federation of Irish Sport, called ‘20x20’. Their aim is to increase women’s sport coverage, attendance levels, and increase women’s/girl’s participation at sporting events by 20% by 2020. She believes that being active is extremely important and, in Ireland, so many women are turned off by playing sport because they are told ‘It will make them large and more man like.’ The impact of this initiative will hopefully show younger girls and women that women’s sport is something to try and to be celebrated.

**bonner** Thu Jun 27, 2019 2:21 am

Hollie Hersey is a multi-talented Fashion supervisor for Hugo Boss and a musician that can play the piano, flute, and guitar. Throughout her life, she has struggled with anxiety and panic attacks but was able to overcome what could have been a crippling condition. This enabled her to realise and pursue her life ambitions including: living independently, traveling abroad, and representing her hometown in The Rose of Roscommon 2016. Due to her experiences, she is dedicated to raising awareness for mental health. She notes that in 2018, Ireland was reported to have one of the highest rates of mental health illness in Europe, therefore it is so important that, as a small country, we work to help one another speak up and open up about mental health problems. She believes that listening to one another with our ears, eyes, and heart can go a long way. Through her volunteering alongside a music therapist, she has helped people with problems including: depression, Alzheimer’s, intellectual disabilities, neurological and cognitive disorders. Hollie believes it has changed her outlook on life. Not only has she witnessed the power of music as a therapy, but it has definitely helped her become a very positive person.

Road to Miss Universe IRELAND 2019 is Nasa data analyst Fionnghuala O’Reilly 64998410

**bonner** Thu Jun 27, 2019 2:23 am

Lynley @lwmegaw has a Honours Bachelor of Science degree in Psychology and is currently working on the social work team at Musgrave Hospital. Her career ambition is to be a Clinical Psychologist Doctorate where she hopes to make a difference in people’s lives. Over the years, Lynley has travelled alone around South East Asia (including driving a motorbike with thousands of other motorbike commuters!) for several months and even lived in Australia for a short period. Her MUI 2019 platform is the Meningitis Research Foundation which is dear to her heart as her dad was diagnosed with Meningitis when she was only 10 years old. Several times over the years, her family and her have collected for the charity several times to raise awareness. She has a passion for making a difference and being a positive influence on others and she would love to make Ireland proud as a global ambassador.

Road to Miss Universe IRELAND 2019 is Nasa data analyst Fionnghuala O’Reilly 65175110

**bonner** Thu Jun 27, 2019 2:25 am

Katie O’Donoghue Having recently completed a Bachelor of Arts Honours Degree in French and Economics at University College Cork, Katie would like to pursue a diploma or similar qualification in Digital Marketing with the hopes of eventually working for a Global company, promoting the brand and developing new ideas for the firm. Whilst she is a keen enthusiast of the ‘keep fit’ lifestyle, she also likes to balance things out with baking in her spare time. Over the past couple of years, Katie has participated in various types of charity work in Ireland between fundraising for the Cork Mental Health Foundation and Marymount Hospice – a charity that she has a renewed appreciation for, since her grandfather recently passed away there. She would like to also work with the Irish Cancer Society, as well as, the Endometriosis Association of Ireland. Endometriosis has affected a few people in her life and she would like to raise more awareness amongst younger women about the signs and symptoms of this condition.

Road to Miss Universe IRELAND 2019 is Nasa data analyst Fionnghuala O’Reilly 64941510

**bonner** Thu Jun 27, 2019 2:30 am

Peace Olaniyi @mizzpeaceo is a fun and creative woman who works as an Architectural Technologist at Modubuild Kilkenny utilising her Honours Bachelor of Science degree in Architectural Technology. Ending up in her current dream job has been a long journey since she was just 7 years old. When she and her family immigrated to Ireland from Nigeria in 2001, Peace remembers arriving and being in awe of all the construction, buildings, and structures of Dublin. It was like nothing she had ever seen or experienced before. It was from that moment that she wanted to someday add to the city skyline as an architect! Peace’s social cause that means the most to her is the National Women’s Council Ireland. The organisation has been empowering women for over 40 years by providing women across Ireland with the necessary skills and opportunities to have their voices heard. She would like to share with every woman in the programme about her experience in education and the workforce - thus, encouraging them to achieve their full potential

Road to Miss Universe IRELAND 2019 is Nasa data analyst Fionnghuala O’Reilly 65305311

**bonner** Thu Jun 27, 2019 2:33 am

Sarah Cunningham has a BSc (Hons) in Business Studies and is currently completing a MSc in Communication and Public Relations with Advertising - both from Ulster University. She is extremely proud of achieving a 2:1 in her undergraduate degree given that she is a ‘first generation student’ within her family. Without this achievement, she feels she wouldn’t be undertaking her master’s degree which is providing her with great in-depth knowledge on many fundamental areas of running her own business in the future. Last year, she was part of a relay team that ran the Belfast City Marathon in aid of PIPS Charity. PIPS is a Belfast based suicide prevention charity that holds a close place to her heart. She ran the 7-mile leg (the longest leg) of the relay which was a massive achievement for herself as she is not a natural runner. Together, the team raised £640.00, smashing their £500 target. Sarah is extremely passionate about protecting young girls’ self-esteem, that is put under threat by the social pressures that they can be exposed to online access. Social media-linked depression is becoming increasingly more common in teenage girls in Ireland something she understands as she feels the pressures of having to look a certain way when scrolling through social media

Road to Miss Universe IRELAND 2019 is Nasa data analyst Fionnghuala O’Reilly 65384310

**bonner** Thu Jun 27, 2019 2:37 am

Shona @sho_tuo This bubbly and positive primary school teacher aims to teach her children to the best of her ability and to have them leave her year happy and optimistic about future possibilities. Shona works hard to teach 30+ students everyday and give them all equal attention. Even though this story has a happy ending, achieving her dream of being a teacher was extremely difficult and tested her dedication. In secondary school she fell short by the absolute minimum of the points required to enter teaching. This was a very tring time as she was faced with a difficult decision to make. She could choose a course that she was not as keen on or repeat the whole year again in the hopes she would achieve these points the following year. Dedicated to her chosen field, she decided to repeat, yet also applied for her papers to be rechecked. Thankfully, one of her papers was miscalculated and she succeeded in achieving enough points. After the rechecks, she only had about four days to leave school, source accommodation in Dublin, and begin college three months after everyone else. This was an extremely daunting time as everyone had already established friendships and gotten used to college life. Despite a difficult few weeks of finding her feet, she soon settled in and never looked back!

Road to Miss Universe IRELAND 2019 is Nasa data analyst Fionnghuala O’Reilly 65645310

**bonner** Thu Jun 27, 2019 2:40 am

Jordan @jordannolan28 has a passion for fashion, modelling, and traveling and is currently a business student. After graduation, she would love to follow MUI 2018 Queen Cailín Toibín’s footsteps as an Emirates air hostess for a couple years. She wants to travel to as many countries as she can and experience all the amazing cultures around the globe. Focus Ireland is one of the charities that means the most to her due to their ongoing work around The Emerald Isle. Homelessness in Ireland is an evolving social crisis that is getting worse by the day and Focus Ireland works with people who are homeless or at risk of losing their homes. Jordan believes that homelessness in Ireland is wrong, and it can be prevented if we all work together to help those in need. She views the issue as a failure of society that creates victims out of ordinary people and robs them of their future potential. She wants to use the Miss Universe platform to make a difference in both her community and country through fundraisers, education, and establishing accommodation opportunities for the people that need it most.

Road to Miss Universe IRELAND 2019 is Nasa data analyst Fionnghuala O’Reilly 65235011

**bonner** Thu Jun 27, 2019 2:43 am

Qichen is currently a part-time Model and a full-time college student at DCU majoring in Environmental Science and Health. She is determined to use her education to learn the skills necessary to do her part to combat one of the biggest issues she feels humanity faces right now, which is Climate Change. She feels that Global Warming has always been a major problem and that it has gotten progressively worse in the recent years. She feels she is very lucky to have parents that raised her in a relatively sustainable way and educated her on environmental impact. Organizations that fight for the planet have always been very close to Qichen’s heart and she wants to continue to work with the likes of Irish Wildlife Trust, WWF, WATER.ORG, Ocean Conservancy, Rainforest Action Network, and Wild Foundation. She was born in an industrialized town in China and every now and then her parents would bring her back to her hometown. On these trips, she witnessed the effects of human activity on the environment. She feels we have brought our planet to the stage it is at today and it is up to us to nurse it back to health before it becomes irreversible. Many think the world is too big to take action as individuals, but she believes it only takes one person to make a difference!

Road to Miss Universe IRELAND 2019 is Nasa data analyst Fionnghuala O’Reilly 65288410

**bonner** Thu Jun 27, 2019 2:47 am

Karen McShea is an outgoing, positive, and caring woman who works as a qualified beautician and makeup artist. She has ambitions of finding success in the modelling industry and using the connections to build her own business running a makeup studio. Her biggest obstacle in life has been self-love. Because of her height, she struggled with confidence in always being the tall girl that stood out and was ridiculed by her peers. All she wanted was to fit in and be ‘normal.’ It has taken her a long time to own her height and be proud of who she is. There was a time that she would not dream of wearing high heels in fear that she would stand out more in a crowd. Today, you see a woman that loves herself and loves buying and wearing all the beautiful shoes she wants! She is focused on Aware Ireland as she believes mental health is something that affects people of all ages and that everyone suffers with some kind of mental health issues in their life. She aims to see children in Ireland taught how to care for their mental and overall health as it is a very important part of life especially with the pressures of modern life and social media

Road to Miss Universe IRELAND 2019 is Nasa data analyst Fionnghuala O’Reilly 65193710

**bonner** Fri Jul 05, 2019 1:01 am

Kaylyn McGrath is an accomplished musician that has been singing and playing the piano since she was 5 years old. She states her strongest talent is having a good ear for picking up music and being able to play piano from memory! She completed all her formal piano and signing grades by the time she was 16 which she used the extra time to put her talents into productive action for herself and her local area. She has raised money for different causes including taking part in local voluntary productions of “Les Misérables” and “Oliver Twist”, which travelled to Manchester and Dublin raising thousands for her local Mayo Hospice. She is also a member of a local choir which has organized numerous concerts and events to raise money for the restoration of her local cathedral, for her local schools, and her local Saint Vincent de Paul organisation. She has even had the opportunity to share her talents at the recent Papal visit in Phoenix Park. Recently, she has established her own piano teaching practice - currently teaching 5 individuals private piano lessons - which she says is one of her most enjoyable achievements.

**bonner** Fri Jul 05, 2019 1:03 am

Adrienne Mullen is a multi-talented woman who loves to sing, play guitar, model, swim, and be creative. She has even auditioned for the X Factor, which she claims to be the craziest thing she has ever done. She has a soft spot for children’s charities which is derived from her own life experience. When she was only one-years-old, she pulled a pot of scolding tea all over her body and was rushed to Crumlin Hospital where she was immediately operated on and remained in the ICU for the next three weeks. She credits the unbelievable staff in nursing her back to health and working so hard to ensure that she lived a normal life afterwards. The whole experience made her realise that not ever child has an ending as fortunate as hers, so she is working hard to make that a reality for all in Ireland.

**bonner** Fri Jul 05, 2019 1:06 am

Jojo Quinn is a brave, considerate, and positive woman who works as a model and loves to dance and act. She is extremely proud of the fact that she stopped self-harming herself three years ago. It was a very difficult thing for her to overcome as it was her coping mechanism when things got difficult. She was able to dig deep and find the tenacity and strength to get better and is super proud of the woman you see today. Today, she wants to use Miss Universe Ireland to make her voice louder and help the people crying out for more accessible mental health services. She believes that nobody should be on a waiting list since there are people at high risk that don’t have friends or family to help. She states that more than one person is committing suicide per day in Ireland. “I have been there and thankfully I had the strength to overcome it, but so many people don’t get the help to see just how good things get.

**bonner** Fri Jul 05, 2019 1:07 am

Niamh Myles comes from a farming background and has a passion for animals including hosting hens, ducks, dogs, and a micro pig! She graduated a 2:1 degree in 2016 with a Bachelor of International Arts in Economics and Portuguese. As part of her studies, she spent a year living abroad in Portugal which was a big deal for her given her young age of 20 years old and that she was the first and only student at the time going to the country alone. She says it was the best experience of her life where she learned so much about herself during that year while forging friendships for life. Mental Health Ireland is the charity of her choice. The organisation and mission mean a lot to her as she has personally struggled with mental health issues in the past. In 2016, she lost her cousin and the death put things in perspective for her. She feels that everyone has the right to be as happy as can be in life and that we should all be supported in reaching our full potential. Niamh will be running the women's mini marathon in aid of Mental Health Ireland and hosting her annual fundraiser in advance of the marathon.

**bonner** Fri Jul 05, 2019 1:08 am

Jane Hannah is a sailing instructor at the Lough Derg Yacht Club and loves to be out on the Irish Sea. She has won many sailing regattas, Nationals, and has achieved the most improved sailor award in the Worlds. During the Mirror World Sailing Championships in 2012, she was the youngest helm at the age of only 11 years old! During that day, the wind reached up to 40 knots and as a result many of the world’s best sailors elected not to compete. However, she was determined and made the decision to go out and compete. During the second race, half the fleet capsized and had to be rescued including her boat. She claims that this was the craziest thing she has ever done because the following day she decided to go out in the same weather conditions again; competing against the top sailors in the world and placing top 30 out of 120 boats. In addition to being an expert yachtswoman, she is an awarded artist and dancer. She received a merit in the Texaco Art competition in 2017 and has won many Credit Union art competitions. Furthermore, she has won multiple Irish Dancing competitions such as Munster’s and placed at Nationals.

**bonner** Fri Jul 05, 2019 1:09 am

Angelique Kilgallon is an inspiring entrepreneur that is hoping to set up a business that will be involved in the beauty industry. She feels that people don't understand the concept of why women wear makeup. She believes it is for confidence and for feeling beautiful in your own skin and body. She loves witnessing the transformation of people after seeing a make-up artist - they come out confident and proud of who they are. Angelique is also passionate about establishing youth cafes in Ireland that are open to the public that suffer from domestic violence. Her dedication is resulting from her own personal experiences with the subject and the lack of services she felt were available to her during her childhood. She wants to establish campaigns and push social media to make domestic violence issues, services, and helplines more aware in Ireland. She would like to see websites, live chat lines, and her cafes become sanctuaries for those abused.

**bonner** Fri Jul 05, 2019 1:13 am

Sarah @sarahsarah_c is currently studying psychology and criminal justice at the University of Limerick. So far, she has completed 3 years and absolutely loves the course. She thinks it really suits her as she is very interested in learning about the complex workings of our minds and the motivations behind our behaviour. In addition to wanting to one day have the opportunity of lecturing in psychology and criminal justice at university, Sarah has always dreamed of having a career in modelling because of her love of fashion and the catwalk! She would also love the opportunity to engage in activities such as talking with secondary school students about the importance of protecting their mental well-being and teaching them ways to safeguard their mental health by promoting their emotional resilience. Her 2019 charity platforms are Limerick’s the Children’s Grief Centre and the Limerick Suicide Watch; both of which are extremely important to her and have such an influential and beneficial role to play within her community.

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Road to Miss Universe IRELAND 2019 is Nasa data analyst Fionnghuala O’Reilly

Road to Miss Universe IRELAND 2019 is Nasa data analyst Fionnghuala O’Reilly

Re: Road to Miss Universe IRELAND 2019 is Nasa data analyst Fionnghuala O’Reilly

Re: Road to Miss Universe IRELAND 2019 is Nasa data analyst Fionnghuala O’Reilly

Re: Road to Miss Universe IRELAND 2019 is Nasa data analyst Fionnghuala O’Reilly

Re: Road to Miss Universe IRELAND 2019 is Nasa data analyst Fionnghuala O’Reilly

Aoife Marie Carty

Tracey Coll

Melanie Delaney

Alexandra Anna Doyle

Hollie Hersey

Lynley

Katie O’Donoghue

Peace Olaniyi

Sarah Cunningham

Shona

Jordan

Qichen

Karen McShea

Kaylyn McGrath

Adrienne Mullen

Jojo Quinn

Niamh Myles

Jane Hannah

Angelique Kilgallon

Sarah

Re: Road to Miss Universe IRELAND 2019 is Nasa data analyst Fionnghuala O’Reilly