Tullamore student vies for Miss Ireland crown

Twenty-year-old Racha Mennad from Tullamore has been crowned Miss Limerick 2017.

The University of Limerick student is now hoping to become the next Miss Ireland following a glitzy ceremony in Limerick's Clayton Hotel on Thursday night last.

Studying HR, business and French, Racha, whose parents are originally from Algeria, was presented with the sought-after tiara and says she hopes to raise the plight of refugees with her title.

Now based in Castletroy, Racha says she has come to think of Limerick as her second home.

“UL is an amazing campus,” she told the Limerick Leader.  “It was actually my first choice. I actually had four choices on my CAO and they were all UL. I was going to UL or nothing at all.


“The people in Limerick are so down-to-earth. They are so open and I think Limerick is amazing for food and drink. I moved here to study and I kind of never left. I live here, study here, work here.”

Of the competition she said she could not believe the moment her name was called out.
“I was a ball of nerves. I would be a really confident person any other day but I could barely stand up. I know everyone says this but I genuinely did not expect to win, at all. I was so happy.”