Ahead of the Miss Ireland final, which takes place in The Helix, Dublin, this Saturday, September 14, Miss Westmeath, Margaret Bolton, spoke of her national competition aspirations following her county success earlier in the summer season.
"I was thoroughly thrilled to have won the Miss Westmeath crown and am incredibly thankful to have been given the opportunity to represent the county on a national level and I would like to thank my competition sponsors, Karma Nightclub and Love My Hair Salon, for all their support to date," Margaret enthused.
Regarding her decision to enter the Miss Westmeath selection, Margaret felt like the experience would be of great benefit to her and would open doors for her career. Since the competition, her network has grown through meeting other contestants, organisers and judges on both a local and national scale.
“I took part in the 2018 selection but didn't win the title. Did I give up on that goal? No, I returned in 2019. I wanted to show that no matter what, you should never give up on yourself. Have confidence in your ability and go for what you want," Margaret enthusiastically emphasised.
In the lead up to the Miss Ireland Final, Margaret has been busy with charity events, photo shoots and preparing for the show, which also means getting pageant-ready with all her styling needs being sponsored by Love My Hair salon. Miss Ireland’s mantra is ‘Beauty with a Purpose’ and Margaret’s passion for charity work is admirable.
“I think it's very important for young people to realise that helping the problems of today, will help resolve the problems of the future," Margaret continued.
She recently held a Father Ted themed Quiz Night in aid of the Irish Cancer Society at The Prince of Wales Hotel, which raised €1,400. She is also working with Longford Greyhound Stadium’s ‘Friends of Welfare’ to raise funds for retired greyhounds.
With the Miss Ireland crown on the imminent horizon, Margaret noted that should she win the national pageant on Saturday night, she would treat the title with the utmost respect.
"Winning the Miss Ireland crown would be a platform to tackle real issues facing the people of our country and I would aspire to see positive changes made, both on a local and national scale," Margaret commented.
The future is bright for Margaret as she hopes to start her own online retail business in the future and wishes to further her education by getting a degree in Criminal Psychology. As for now, she is looking forward to the Miss Ireland final and the opportunity that may await should the crown rest upon her head come the conclusion of Saturday night's proceedings.