Keeping girls involved in sport a priority for Miss Ireland finalist from Mayo
A MISS Ireland hopeful from Mayo has been hitting the virtual catwalk with her football boots on.
Olivia Barrett enthusiastically answered the question - footie boots or strappy heels - before I'd a chance to ask it: “I got a new pair of boots for Christmas and so far I've only got to wear them for catwalk videos. I want to get them dirty.”
Miss Claremorris, sponsored by HG Hair, Claremorris, is passionate about women in sport. Yes, it's nice to get all dressed up, but sport - she lines out for Kiltimagh Knock United and Claremorris GAA Club - will always come first.
Olivia (21) is one of two Mayo women through to the Miss Ireland 2021 finals, which take place in July. The winner there will represent the country at Miss World, which is scheduled to be held in Puerto Rico in December.
Miss Mayo, Laura Martin, hails from Cork but has been living in Mayo for the past number of years. Olivia qualified as a runner-up.
Laura (25) is a marketing and design manager for an oil company and is currently completing a masters in computer science.
She is passionate about child welfare and protection and is involved with Foróige's Big Brother Big Sister mentoring programme in Mayo.
Like Olivia, fitness is important to her and she has been part of the Irish gymnastics team.
Sport has been a big part of Olivia Barrett's life from her school days - she attended Mount St. Michael Secondary School and is now studying law at University of Limerick.
Daughter of Annemarie and Tony Barrett, she has two siblings - Anthony and Molly.
Having played Gaelic from a young age, and more recently Aussie Rules - if she was asked to go Down Under she 'wouldn't say no', Olivia joined Kiltimagh Knock United last year when the club fielded a senior women's team for the first time in a number of years.
Having previously coached underage soccer teams herself, she is keen to promote getting - and keeping - girls and women involved in sport.
Nine times out of 10 you'll find Olivia with the boots on and it is a source of some disappointment that of her Leaving Cert year, only three are still involved with her in her Gaelic team.
So many girls have dropped out of sport by the time they get to her age and Olivia wants to see clubs in all sports advocating to keep young girls coming up through the ranks playing right up into the senior teams.
Developments such as the emergence of a women's team down the road at the soccer club in Knock are a very positive move in the right direction.
Cancer Fund for Children Ireland, who are planning to open a dedicated centre for children in Cong - Daisy Lodge - is another cause close to Olivia's heart. Daisy Lodge will be a therapeutic short break centre in Mayo for children throughout Ireland diagnosed with cancer and their families.
Olivia ran a fundraiser for the centre last year, and there are plans for another.
Cancer affects so many families and she is enthusiastic about the difference the facility would make - right on our doorsteps - for so many children and their families here in the county and around Ireland.
Back to Miss Ireland, and Olivia is thrilled to be in the final. The Mayo finals took place last August, with the semi-finals held virtually last week. The format for that included the submission of a catwalk video and a Zoom meeting with the adjudicators.
The McWilliam Park Hotel in Claremorris also facilitated Olivia for a photo shoot - all done in compliance with the Covid guidelines.
The Miss Ireland final is due to be held on July 25 in Killua Castle in Westmeath.
Covid allowing, Olivia will be looking forward to putting her best foot forward this summer, on the pitch and the catwalk.