Rathfern girl scoops award

Katlyn Irvine (18), who currently holds the title of the Ultimate Beauty Of Co Antrim, competed in the Ultimate Beauty Of The World 2017 finals on Sunday, April 23.

At the glamorous event, the former Monkstown Community School pupil was crowned Most Dedicated Beauty Queen 2017.

The kindhearted teen has carried out a number of fundraising initiatives over the past number of months, raising £500 for the Make A Wish Foundation and over £1,100 for the Northern Ireland Hospice and the Children’s Hospice. She plans to conduct more fundraising events in the future.

Katlyn has recently passed a sports course at the Northern Regional College in Newtownabbey and is set to embark on a personal training course.

Speaking to the Times following her recent success, Katlyn explained: “I have never felt this confident in my whole life and I never expected to be that confident and happy with what I achieved.

“I would recommend pageants to any girls out there who are interested, because I never thought I was good enough and look how happy and confident it got me from having no confidence at all.

“I have met the most amazing friends from a number of countries and I will keep in contact with them all.”

Katlyn added: “I would like to thank Taylor Rae Hamilton and Leesa Hamilton for making me become the confident person I am today.

“I will be attending the Ultimate Beauty of the World pageant next year again to compete in the senior category. This is only the beginning for me, I have so much more up my sleeve.”