Offaly woman a finalist in Miss Bikini Ireland

A young Offaly woman has been selected as a finalist in this year's Miss Bikini Ireland competition. 

Karyn Lynch, from Rhode, is one of 30 women from across the country who will compete at the national final of the event on Sunday October 20 in the Red Cow Inn. 

The winner of the 8th annual Miss Bikini Ireland Model Search will represent Ireland at Miss Swimsuit USA, something which has been a dream of Karyn's ever since she decided to enter the pageant. 

“I can’t even imagine a girl from the back end of nowhere being crowned Miss Bikini Ireland and representing the country at Swimsuit USA – but here’s hoping!” she says. 

The 22-year-old decided to “take a leap of faith” and enter Miss Bikini Ireland in January, viewing it as an opportunity to pursue her interest in health and fitness. 

“I have always been into fitness and nutrition and have always wanted to pursue it as a career,” she says. 

“I decided to put my head down for six months and get myself in shape to apply for the competition and finally do something for myself and for my dream. 

“I have had a few bumps along the way with my mother being sick and my boyfriend away in Syria with the Irish Army, so training was a way for me to blow off some steam and focus on myself for an hour a day. So now here I am, a finalist in Miss Bikini Ireland 2019!”

Karyn, a past pupil of St Mary’s Secondary School, Edenderry, currently works as a make-up artist for Urban Decay Cosmetics. 

In her spare time she spends as much time as possible in the gym, and this Saturday she will add another string to her bow when she competes in the Bikini First Timers division of a Republic of Ireland Bodybuilding Federation (RIBBF) event.