Galway plus-sized model Sharon Dooley has proved that big is beautiful.
The 41-year-old married mother of seven, who is a size 18, is officially Ireland’s top curvaceous model. Image may be NSFW.
Clik here to view.
The Ahascragh-based award winning hair and make-up artist was officially crowned Miss Curves Ireland at the inaugural ceremony in Dublin last week. She beat off stiff competition from dozens of contestants from around the country.
Sharon was also runner-up in the Mrs Ireland competition – a beauty pageant for married women.
“This was my first pageant experience. I didn’t find it foo-foo or fluffy at all, I thought it was really great. I felt it was empowering and the other women were an inspiration,” said Sharon.
Along with the prestige and heightened profile the win brings with it, Sharon was awarded a sash and crown as mementos.
The judges were all from abroad, including Misses Italy, Miss Charity from England, Misses World Galaxy and an American male judge from Chicago known as ‘Brother Joe’.
As well as strutting her stuff on the catwalk, Sharon and the other contestants were judged on a questions and answer session with the judges.
“They asked all kinds of questions,” recalled Sharon. One judge asked her to tell them something interesting about Ireland.
“I said it was very hospitable but that’s not very interesting, because everyone knows that so I told them the story of the Rock of Cashel and the Devil’s Bit in Tipperary – they really enjoyed that!”
And while the outsiders’ image of beauty pageants is one of ‘bitchy’ contestants trying to get one up on each other, the opposite was the case, said Sharon.
“The other girls were so nice. If someone had a strap out of place or if a strap was broken, or if there was something out of place, they’d tell you. I hate to use the word but there was a real sisterhood,” she said.
Sharon decided to enter the competition to combat the negative portrayal of large women in media.
“There is a negative connotation with the phrase plus-sized. That’s why it’s called Miss Curves Ireland. It just goes to show that you don’t have to be skinny to be beautiful. Curves are beautiful, too,” she said.
Sharon said she will use the crown to spread positivity about curvy women.
“We are not all made the same and sometimes the media norm that is sold to us isn’t right for us and our body type. There are plenty of girls out there that eat well and train hard but will always have hips and curves. Once you are healthy why not embrace instead of feeling down on yourself?”
Married to Henry Dooley from Fohenagh, she was crowned Mrs Galway and Miss Curves Galway by competition judges last month, and holds those crowns, along with her national one, for the next year.
She had the full backing of Henry and her seven children Mercedes (22), James (21), Oisín (12), Clodagh (10), Liam (9), Eva (7) and Amber (4), for the pageant.