Offaly native, Margaret Bolton, claimed the prestigious Miss Westmeath accolade at a well attended Karma Athlone venue on Thursday night last and will now represent the county in the Miss Ireland pageant to take place in autumn.
Boasting an entrepreneurial streak, Margaret trains greyhounds professionally and has her sights set on starting her own online fashion business.
She is looking forward to working with this year’s chosen charity partner, The Irish Cancer Society, and has previously been involved in charitable acts, bringing her greyhounds to nursing homes to bring smiles and laughter to those living there. Margaret is also looking forward to working with her sponsors, Karma Athlone and Love My Hair throughout her reigning year.
Upon hearing that she had won the title, Margaret was overwhelmed with emotion and excited for the months ahead of her. Having taken part in the contest last year, Margaret’s passion and determination beamed through during her interview with the judging panel.
The first runner up, Celine Slevin, is a graphic designer based in Athlone. Her passion for design was evident throughout her interview, as well as her enthusiasm for weightlifting and advancing out of her comfort zone (she recently performed in the Athlone Musical Society production of Chicago ).
The second runner up, Sarah Lowry, is a psychiatric nurse who enjoys raising money for The Irish Cancer Society and other charities in her spare time and keeping fit in the gym.
Both runner ups will compete in the wild card round in Dublin ahead of Miss Ireland, with the opportunity of achieving a place in the Miss Ireland final still very much a reality.
