It’s about celebrating culture, says pageant contestant

The organisers of Miss/Mrs Africa Ireland insisted it was “not just a pageant” but an opportunity for contestants to highlight their “unique heritage”.

Dr Dineo Moiloa-Murphy, an emergency physician who moved to Ireland from South Africa, is the organiser of the event.

“You don’t have to look a certain way to participate in this competition,” she said.

“It is so important for young women of colour, young migrant women who are trying to find their place in the world, to really be seen, to really know that they belong, to have it through maybe representation of their dreams or somebody that they want to look up to.”

She added that it allowed young African women in Ireland to empower themselves with masterclasses in media training, how to “dress for success” and financial literacy.