Niamh Marie Redmond (born 1976 or 1977) is an Irish former model and beauty pageant titleholder who was crowned Miss Ireland 1996.[1]

Born to parents Ronald and Orla,[2] Redmond grew up the only female child with three brothers in Drimnagh. At the age of nineteen she represented Dublin at Miss Ireland and was crowned the winner.[3][4]

Although her win qualified her to represent the country at Miss Universe 1997,[5] Redmond – who had deferred a place at Maynooth College to prepare for the pageant – was controversially replaced by Miss Ireland second runner-up Fiona Mullaly.[6][7] When queried, pageant boss Kieran Murray stated that Mullaly was best suited to represent Ireland, and his decision to remove Redmond was a bid to raise the standard and profile of Miss Ireland.[8] Redmond had previously been a contestant at Miss World 1996 where she was a favourite,[9] but did not place, and former Miss Ireland boss Krish Naidoo, who defended Murray, claimed that Redmond had failed to impress the judges because she had given up completely.[10]

As a model, Redmond was lined to promote a range of summer clothing for Lee Jeans alongside Fair City actor Peter Warnock,[11] but came under fire when she appeared in a contraceptives commercial shortly after being crowned. Redmond graduated with a degree in Finance, and worked in IT after her reign.[12][13]

She is married to former Ireland rugby player and businessman Aidan McCullen. She has two sons.[14]

References

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  1. ^ THE BIZ; The ugly truth about modelling, by Niamh; IT'S IRELAND'S HOTTEST SHOWBUSINESS COLUMN (17 November 1996)
  2. ^ Oh baby, you were out of this world..; PICTURE EXCLUSIVE: MISS IRELAND'S CHILDHOOD PHOTO ALBUM
  3. ^ NIAMH HAS THE WORLD AT HER FEET; Beauty vows to do us proud
  4. ^ MISS IRELAND'S FEAR FOR MUM AFTER COLLAPSE; Shock before farewell bash
  5. ^ Niamh aims to conquer universe
  6. ^ Miss Ireland Updates
  7. ^ I FEEL SO SAD FOR POOR NIAMH, BUT IT REALLY SHOULD BE ME WHO IS GOING!; MISS IRELAND RUNNER-UP MICHELLE JOINS BATTLE OF BEAUTIES
  8. ^ WHY FIONA IS MY MISS UNIVERSE BY CONTEST BOSS; Beauty supremo breaks his silence
  9. ^ Yes, Niamh is really sizzling...
  10. ^ CATTY KRISH GETS UGLY IN BATTLE OF THE BEAUTIES; NIAMH 'GAVE UP' AT MISS WORLD SAYS EX-BOSS
  11. ^ KISS OF LIFE; GAY SCENE DOES PETER NO HARM AT ALL
  12. ^ Niamh Redmond wishes it to be known that she is retiring from full-time modelling at the age of 22
  13. ^ NUI MAYNOOTH CONFERS DEGREE ON FORMER MISS IRELAND Tuesday, 15 and Wednesday 16 September, 1998.
  14. ^ "McCullen signs up for Katawave - Independent.ie". Independent.ie. Retrieved 25 August 2017.