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You are > Home > Emir and Carol keeping fashion crowns in Kerry
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Thursday, July 22, 2010
Emir and Carol keeping fashion crowns in Kerry
AFTER 48 hours of almost continuous rain in Kerry, the clouds finally lifted just in time to allow the sun to shine down on the eagerly anticipated Ladies Day at Killarney Races.
The recognised daylight highlight of the summer social calendar in Kerry, Ladies Day was anything but a washout as stylish umbrellas were placed to one side and glamour took centre stage for an afternoon of high fashion and exciting racing.
For Queen of Fashion winner Emir Irwin-O’Shea it was a case of keeping it in the family as her winning dress and hat were both designed and made by her sister, Clodagh Irwin-Owens.
Leaving it very much to the last minute, the Killarney designer just completed her sister’s eye-catching outfit on Wednesday night but it was well worth the wait.
"Clodagh was busy doing head pieces for other people as well so she was in the thick of it," Emir told The Kingdom just moments after her win on Thursday.
"She is delighted. After all her hours of hard work, it’s paid off," said the newly crowned Queen of Fashion who owns and runs Envy boutique in Killarney with her sister.
Clodagh’s creation of a cream and blush dress and a matching feathered headpiece, in the shape of a swan’s wing, certainly turned the judges’ heads.
This is not the first top award that Emir has picked up for her style sense for just last August the fashionable Killarney woman, who is now living in Killorglin, won the overall prize for the best dressed lady at the Dublin Horse Show.
"It’s lovely to win on home territory. At least we'll have the family and friends around to celebrate which will be great. I just cannot believe it. I am so surprised, delighted too though of course," said Emir who is married to former Kerry football star and auctioneer Billy O’Shea.
Runner-up on the day was Liz Maher, from Carlow, in a cream shift dress she purchased last August in a sale at Emir and Clodagh’s Envy boutique.
There is one thing for sure – style queens will be flocking to Envy when it comes to seeking winning inspiration for Ladies Day in 2011.
There was plenty of inspiration involved too for the winner of the overall best hat award at Killarney Races, as a swarm of butterflies claimed top prize.
The cerise headpiece, worn and created by Tralee woman Carol Kennelly, turned heads throughout the day as she wandered around the Bunrower course in the sunshine.
"My headpiece is a multitude of swarming butterflies that I made myself. The dress I got in London. When I saw the colour I had the butterflies and I knew straight away that I had to have it," Carol revealed.
"It took about 12 to 15 hours to make, but it was worth it. I came third in Killarney twice but you never know because the style here today is just mind-blowing. It’s nice to win at home," she added.
Creativity was key too for runner-up in the hat competition Caoimhe Willis from Killarney who modified her hat with fresh flowers for extra drama and made a few key changes to her dress too to add to the rose motif.
The thought put into all the outfits on the day certainly impressed celebrity judge and former Miss World Rosanna Davison: "There was a lot of colour this year but I always say it’s lovely to wear a bit of colour in the summer. The creativity really struck me".
"We’re in a recession so nobody should ever feel they have to spend hundreds on an outfit," she added.
Fellow judge Kerry man Dáithí Ó Sé was on the lookout for something just a little bit different.
"We were looking for something that stood out; maybe something that might not have seen the light of day in a couple of years but has been updated.
"I was always liked that myself. I was never into labels or anything. You might have a decent shirt and team it up with something that might not be so expensive but that would look well together," he added.
"The head pieces really stood out over anything else. I think the county council would probably need to give planning permission for half of them," the colourful Kerry man joked.
"Definitely the style here in Killarney was huge altogether. We got to pick out 15 people but it was really tough to cut it down. We walked up and down the course about five or six times before we started," he added.
The break in the clouds helped with the judging but also with attracting the crowds according to Killarney Race Company chairman John Buckley.
"Overall the racing has been very good and our track held up quite well despite the weather. Monday and Tuesday were well up, on Wednesday we were down a little on the previous year but the weather was rather poor," he said.
"Having said that, our numbers were quite good and the racing was good," Mr Buckley told The Kingdom.
"We had fresh ground again on Thursday, and anyone can see our numbers are superb. We’re growing all the time. We’re spending money and we’re growing so, all we need is more and more people to come," he added.
All thoughts will now turn to August, with a four-day festival planed for the Killarney Racetrack from Tuesday August 17 until Friday, August 20.
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