Organiser of Irish pageant ‘can’t understand what all the fuss is about’

The organiser of the first Irish staging of a contentious, US-themed child beauty pageant this weekend says she is baffled by the critics and stressed: “I really can’t understand what all the fuss is about.”

Universal Royalty boss Annette Hill was speaking as it was revealed that the four-star Bracken Court hotel in Balbriggan, Co Dublin, will host the competition, which will feature “babies, toddlers and teens”, on Saturday.

Hotel general manager Rory Keogh said he saw “absolutely no problem” with staging the competition, which more than 50 Irish youngsters are set to compete in.