Fashion queens in the Kingdom

Donal Hickey

Dawn Dairies Queen of Fashion winner was Bernadette O’Sullivan, from Milltown, Co Kerry, who looked resplendent in a lime and purple matching coat and dress.

Runners-up were Caitriona Cahillane, from Killorglin, and Phil Spillane, Park Drive, Killarney. Judges Caroline Morahan, of RTE’s Off The Rails programme, and Celia Holman Lee, well-known Limerick model agency owner, said their task was the most difficult to date.

“Normally at these things you have to go scouring around to find people, but it was case of trying to limit our choice today. We had 20 women picked out in no time,’’ said Caroline.

“People have tended to shy away from big hats of late, but the hats here were fantastic.

“There was a fabulous show of colour with pink, fuchsia, cerise and many shades of green standing out. Also, a lot of women were very imaginative in matching up with their own bits,’’ she remarked.

It was a lucky day for Bernadette O’Sullivan, who bought her outfit in Macbee’s, Killarney. She also won a weekend for two in Paris.

“We were hardly in the gate when we were told to bet on horse number two. I don’t even know its name, but it won,’’ said Bernadette, who was accompanied at the races by her daughter, Stephanie, sisters Elaine Courtney and Rosemarie Brosnan, and friend Helen Scannell.

Tourism Minister John O’Donoghue and former Agriculture Minister Joe Walsh were among the political figures at the races.

Killarney Races chairman John Buckley said the four-day meeting was very successful.

“It started being very dry and warm and then we had some rain, which helped the track. Attendances and sponsorship were up every day and we had eight races each day,’’ he said.