This Much I Know: Aoife Walsh, influencer and former Miss Ireland — 'All I will say is that I’m extremely untidy'

Aoife Walsh TMIK

I was a shy child, but was really into drama and singing and dancing — that’s how I expressed myself. I did plays and musicals with the local choral society in Clonmel and was even in the majorettes. We got to perform at Disneyland Paris when I was 13!

After school, I did economics and geography at UCC, the best years of my life. Then I became all studious and did a masters in Business Management in Limerick, but my dream was to be a secondary school teacher.

My biggest challenge was getting accepted to train as a secondary teacher. I got rejected twice — so it was third time lucky. I refused to give up.

In the summer of 2013 I won Miss Ireland and that changed the course of my life. I hadn’t done any modelling before that, but once I won, I took the year out to give it my all and moved to New York to model.

I 100% believe in fate. Everything in my life has happened for a reason. I went into the Miss Ireland competition for a laugh, for example, never believing I would win. I met my fiancé, Gary, at a rooftop work event on top of Dublin’s Marker hotel — the kind of event that I’d never have been at unless I’d been involved in modelling. We were to be married in July. Hopefully next year…

If I could be reborn as someone else, I’d just be me. I’m perfectly content.

My idea of misery is being in a job I hate. We spend so much time at work, we might as well enjoy it.

I launched my own blog a few years back, and now I’m on Instagram.

'Adapt or die' as they say. I love the creativity of instagram and creating my own looks. I’m a full-time content creator with a focus on fashion and lifestyle.

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Thankfully, my work hasn’t been affected too much by the various levels of Covid restrictions, I’ve been working from home a lot and, really, I could do most of my work from anywhere.

My biggest extravagance is fashion. But, I love the kill of a good bargain.

The trait I look for in friends is loyalty.

The thing that irritates me most about other people is kind of hard to describe — it’s when a person has no depth.

I definitely believe in an afterlife. I believe in heaven. I’m religious and find my faith really helps me. Gary is religious too. I look on it as an aspect of my wellbeing.

I eat healthily but don’t follow a special diet. I’m lucky because I have a fast metabolism. I take vitamins, especially at this time of year, and exercise by cycling, walking or doing pilates.

I’ve been feeling quite anxious this year — like all of us — unable to relax. I do use a lot of apps like Headspace and Calm to help me switch off.

My biggest fault? You’d have to ask Gary. All I will say is that I’m extremely untidy. Wet towels everywhere…

I’m so not a morning person. I wish I was a lark, but I am definitely an owl.

The big lesson in life so far is gratitude. I try to be grateful for all the little things. Family, friends, nature. They may seem like little things but they are the things that matter. And I’ve learned that keeping perspective on things is what keeps me steady.

Aoife Walsh is a model, influencer and former Miss Ireland from Co. Tipperary. Follow her on Instagram at @aoife_walsh_x

Aoife is also an ambassador for Great Lengths Hair Extensions. Following its ongoing partnership with charity, The Little Princess Trust, World Leader in hair extensions, Great Lengths, is proud to announce that more than 2,500 bundles of its 100% human hair extensions have been donated to the charity to help create real hair wigs for children undergoing cancer treatment. greatlengthshair.ie