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Love it or loathe it, the pageant has survived recessions, sexism allegations and even the scrapping of the Miss World bikini round
By Aoife Finneran 20th September 2017, 8:57 am
FROM sharing a bed with Sean Connery to modelling all over the world, winning Miss Ireland has led to incredible opportunities for generations of Irish women.
Love it or loathe it, the pageant has survived recessions, sexism allegations and even the scrapping of the Miss World bikini round.
Jakki Moore, Miss Ireland 1976
And Miss Ireland will celebrate its 70th birthday this year — with a new crop of wannabe beauty queens competing for the coveted title and sash.
And as well as a month-long trip to represent us at Miss World in China, they’ll enjoy a year-long reign in a role that will open doors.
Here, some former winners tell AOIFE FINNERAN all about it.
Jakki Moore, 1976
A SELF-described “natural introvert”, Jakki Moore was planning to study archaeology when she was crowned Miss Ireland in 1976 at the age of 17.
She cheerfully admits that she “hadn’t a clue” what to expect in the pageant scene, saying: “I didn’t even know how to walk in high-heeled shoes, which can be clearly seen in the Miss World pageant as I was the only contestant to go barefoot.
“I associated swimsuits with swimming in the sea, so the thought of wearing heels seemed alien to me.”
Sadly, politics seeped its way into the contest that year, as she recalled: “All the other women had roommates, but I had a room of my own…on a separate floor, with two body guards outside.
“Perhaps this had something to do with the British ambassador being blown up by the IRA only months before, but they insisted the Miss World Pageant was apolitical.”
Her Miss Ireland title also introduced her to whirlwind travel, meeting famous people and an exciting world of fashion, TV, film and celebrity experiences.
Together with 1975 Miss Ireland Nuala Holloway, she even landed a small part in the film The First Great Train Robbery alongside Sean Connery in 1979.
Now based in Norway, Jakki is a successful creative consultant, artist, illustrator and cartoonist
However, she suffered a rude awakening when she signed to a London agency, saying: “Whereas I’d been some sort of minor celebrity on my own turf…and a big part of that was due to being Miss Ireland, the British fashion scene were not interested in beauty queens.
“In fact, it was almost a liability. If one was anyway connected to being a beauty queen, the work that was associated with that was topless, glamour, lingerie and swimsuit modelling.
“Not that there was anything wrong with doing this type of work,( I didn’t do any nudity but I did many fashion shows for some top lingerie and swimwear companies), but I was tall and wanted to be a high fashion model, which meant instantly losing 10 lbs.”
Her determination paid off and she went on to work for many of the top designers, walking in all the major fashion shows and travelling all over the world.
It was a lucrative job, and she was able to put herself through university when she returned to her studies 10 years later.
Now based in Norway, she’s a successful creative consultant, artist, illustrator and cartoonist and is working on her new book The Reluctant Beauty Queen.
Reflecting on the changing world of beauty contests which she sees as “a bit different” these days, she said: “Beauty contests have existed in some form or another since Ancient Greece.
“In Medieval times, villages were always choosing the fattest cow, biggest cabbage and most beautiful flower, or local girl to symbolise abundance and community spirit.
“Today, we live in a world filled with competitions of all sorts: singing, gymnastics, dancing, baking cakes as well as beauty contests. If done in a balanced, all-inclusive way, I think this can be a good thing.
“Our communities today consist of more than one type of beauty stereotype – petite, plus, physically challenged, transgender etc.
“If we are to continue with enhancing our community spirit, I think future contests should include all aspects of the feminine. True beauty is knowing your worth as a human being.“
Olivia Treacy, 1984
FOOTAGE of Olivia Treacy at the bikini segment of the Miss World contest shows a smiling, confident young woman looking thoroughly at home on the catwalk.
While many of her competitors looked stilted and awkward, Miss Ireland 1984 knew how to rock her emerald swimsuit like no other.
She explained: “Given that I had modelled for almost two years at that point, where my strength was swimwear, lingerie and leotards, I had lots of experience in that domain and had acquired a confidence and comfort with it.
Olivia Treacy was crowned Miss Ireland in 1984
“I never felt remotely undermined by it and feel that it still has a place in today’s contest as it is a beauty competition after all.”
The glamorous blonde’s experience at Miss World was overwhelmingly positive, and she’s quick to dispel the notion of “catty” contestants, saying: “for me that is purely a myth.
“We all got along beautifully and continued to write letters to one another for many years after that.”
With a top seven finish in the Miss World contest, Olivia also represented Ireland at Miss Universe in Miami and enjoyed a coast-to-coast US tour ahead of St Patrick’s Day, which sparked her love affair with the country she now calls home.
Olivia is still modelling in her 50s
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Olivia is still modelling in her 50s
However, while she was itching to travel after her Miss Ireland win, she initially stayed at home to maximise the many opportunities afforded by the crown.
A familiar face as a hostess on the TV show Murphy’s MicroQuiz-M, she was also in constant demand for high profile jobs.
However, it wasn’t all plain sailing, as she explained: “There were, ironically, some of the fashion world who were reluctant to hire me as a model after my win and ensuing television career because they then perceived me to be more of a beauty queen and personality.
“Thankfully I think those parameters have broadened in today’s beauty queen and modelling world.”
Some 33 years later, she credits her Miss Ireland roots with fuelling her career well into her 50s, insisting: “I believe that my Miss Ireland title is one of the main reasons I am still modelling today, in my 50’s.”
Amanda Brunker, 1991
AUTHOR Amanda Brunker “definitely didn’t’ want to win” when she entered the Miss Ireland contest in 1991.
With several other competitions in her sights, she joked that she was “devastated” when her win put paid to other plans as she had to focus on the Miss World competition in Atlanta.
Ultimately, it “changed my whole career”, as she recalled: “Back then there was no reality TV, there was very few Irish celebs, so it was a weird one to be involved in.”
Amanda Brunker was ‘devastated;’ by her win n 1991
Amanda chose to leave school and take full advantage of her opportunities, which weren’t without their pitfalls.
She said: “I was lucky that I was a wily 17 year old from Finglas, I was older than my years, but I wouldn’t recommend it for such young girls.
“There were a couple of times there were sticky situations.”
Perceptions of beauty have changed dramatically since Amanda’s win 26 years ago.
Back then, fake tan was “really expensive”, and she had no clue how to apply it, in stark contrast to today’s well-preened millennials.
The no-nonsense Dub admits she was lucky in her approach to her year-long reign as she never took it too seriously, explaining: “Everyone’s telling you you’re beautiful and you could believe that shit.
“Thankfully I didn’t, because the following years they’re telling someone else that they’re beautiful”.
Amanda still believes there’s a place for Miss Ireland in 2017. MICHAEL CHESTER
As for the competition’s relevance in 2017, Amanda reckons it still has a place.
She explained: “There’s a place for everybody in this world. We don’t all have to join in, or take part, for the people who do want to, fair play to them, let them off.
“There’s a place for women who want to do beauty, sports, business, so live and let live.
“If this is what some young girl wants to do, if she’s safe, and looked after and she’s doing something that empowers her, let her do it.”
Pamela Flood, 1993
HAVING left a permanent and pensionable job in banking to focus on modelling, Pamela’s Miss Ireland win was “a big boost” when it came to getting work.
She explained: “Modelling and TV went hand in hand at the time, so winning Miss Ireland helped get my name out there.
“I came second in the competition in 1992, and I was over the moon about it.
“It was only afterwards that I realised it was really close and how good it would’ve been to win so I went back the following year.”
Pamela was particularly lucky to enjoy a lot of travelling during her reign. That year, the Miss World contest was held in Sun City in South Africa, an experience she recalls as “quite incredible”.
Pamela Flood won the 1993 contest at the age of 21. COLLINS
She was also lucky enough to represent Ireland at the Miss Universe contest in Manila, as well as jetting off to Chicago for a promotional event.
Her two pageant experiences gave her an insight into the huge industry that is beauty contests, as she explained: “The attitudes differ from country to country and in some places it’s a massive deal and they prepare for it for years.
“I think Ireland is nicely in the middle. We thought, if we do well that’s great, but if not, we don’t really mind.
“I think it was a big deal for me, I was 21 and I had a ball.
“The notion of Miss World or Miss Universe just seemed like pie in the sky so I did what I was supposed to do and enjoyed it all.
“I roomed with the New Zealand representative at both contests. We were very like-minded.
Pamela Flood presented RTE’s fashion show Off the Rails for seven years. CRISPIN RODWELL - THE SUN DUBLIN
“We didn’t have our eyes on the prize so we’d go to our room and have a giggle at the ones who were so determined to win.”
Clearly comfortable on the catwalk, the blonde beauty was a natural choice to present RTE’s fashion show Off the Rails, which she fronted for seven years.
Even now, she has plenty of fond memories about the win that kick-started it all, and she’s full of encouragement for the young hopeful who’ll represent us at Miss World this year, saying: “Give it your best shot, treat it for what it is, it’s an amazing experience. Of course there will be cliques but just enjoy it all.”
Rosanna Davison, 2003
THE only Irish woman to win the Miss World competition, Rosanna Davison is particularly grateful for the platform which is still supporting her career after 14 years.
She was a 19-year-old student when she headed off to the contest in China and immediately made her mark by winning the Miss Beach Beauty segment.
The daughter of crooner Chris de Burgh said: “I have so many incredible memories, from the fun times spent with my fellow contestants to the sights we saw.
“I wouldn’t have otherwise had the opportunity at 19 years old to travel across China and walk the Great Wall, explore Hong Kong, Shanghai and Beijing, so I absolutely loved the travel aspect of it.
Rosanna Davison would go onto become Ireland’s only ever Miss World. REUTERS
“It definitely helped my career as I’ve been lucky enough to work for the past 14 years since winning the title.
“Miss World is a well-known brand all over the world, so having the title has enabled me to travel a lot for work too.”
Rosanna’s success at Miss World is all the more impressive given that Ireland doesn’t have the same extreme preparation regime that is practised in some countries.
In Venezuela, which has produced six Miss Worlds and seven Miss Universes, young hopefuls are put through gruelling “beauty factories” and given cosmetic surgery, in an attempt to give them a shot at a title which is seen by many as a route out of poverty.
Rosanna is the daughter of Irish music legend Chris De Burgh . GETTY - CONTRIBUTOR
It’s a world away from Rosanna’s experience as she recalled: “Certain countries really prepare their contestants thoroughly and even provide training camps and manuals for their girls.
“I wasn’t given any training but I was provided with plenty of outfits, beauty products, shoes, swimsuits and jewellery to wear over the month in China – lots of companies were incredibly supportive and that made such a difference as I needed a LOT of clothes!”
Even after 14 years, she still holds fond memories of the contest which she described as “wholly positive and empowering”.
She added: “Pity I’m far too old for it now as I would do it again!”
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