Blathnaid McKenna - Miss Time wins RehabBingo.com sponsored Miss Ireland
Stunning Blathnaid McKenna, a 21 year-old from Tullyeast, Co. Kildare, was crowned Miss Ireland 2007 on Saturday (30th June 2007) at a glittering Gala Black Tie Event in the Silver Springs Moran Hotel in Cork.
The event, sponsored for the first time by RehabBingo.com, follows an exhaustive six-month search to uncover the country’s most beautiful women. Blathnaid bet 24 of Ireland’s most beautiful women in the grand final to claim the title of Miss Ireland 2007. Miss Heart & Soul Karen Sutton was named as 1st runner-up on the night, while Miss 1038 Daniella Moyles was 2nd runner up.
There were tears of joy Blathnaid McKenna was presented with a tiara, crystal trophy and bouquet of flowers from last year’s Miss Ireland, Sarah Morrissey, and from John McGuire, Managing Director of Rehab Lotteries, and Andrea Roche, former Miss Ireland and event organiser. Blathnaid will now go forward to represent Ireland at the Miss World 2007 pagent, which will be held in Sanya, China in November.
As Miss Ireland 2007, Blathnaid will receive a huge array of prizes including a piece of specially commissioned crystal from sponsors RehabBingo.com; a Model Portfolio from Lili Forberg, one of Ireland’s hottest photography talents; EUR500 of designer sunglasses from www.Sunglasses.ie; a selection of Heart & Soul Dresses; Make Up by One; an outfit from top designer Deborah Veal, and a specially commissioned Miss World gown by Fiona Whyte. Blathnaid also wins EUR150 of Mac make-up from Mac in Cork and free hair care for the year from Peter Mark.
Among the judges on the night was Munster Rugby’s Alan Quinlan; top Irish model and face of RehabBingo.com, Glenda Gilson; Irish International and Sunderland soccer star, Anthony Stokes; Stephen Byrne of RSVP Magazine, Sinead Desmond from TV3’s Ireland AM; Irish Tenor, Paul Byram; celebrity hair stylist, Michael Doyle; and Miss Ireland 2005, Aoife Cogan.
This was the first time that the Miss Ireland final has taken place in Cork and there was huge interest in the event with all 500 tickets sold out weeks in advance.
Congratulating Blathnaid on her success, Rehab Lotteries Managing Director, John McGuire, said: ‘RehabBingo.com is delighted to be the title sponsor of Miss Ireland this year. The event has really captured both the public and media’s interest and we’re confident that our association with the competition will help us to build on the enormous initial success of RehabBingo.com, which has paid out over EUR13 million since being established just 18 months ago. The funds raised by the site help various activities of the Rehab Group which annually provide services to some 60,000 people with disabilities and other marginalised groups.’
For further information visit www.missireland2007.com