An Irish woman working in the construction industry has made history after being crowned Miss Galaxy International.
Rachel Foley, 26, travelled from Wicklow to the Bahamas earlier this month to represent Ireland at the Galaxy International finals.
Her journey culminated on Sunday when she was announced as the winner of the prestigious international title, becoming the first Irish woman to claim the Miss Galaxy crown.
The achievement also marks Ireland’s first international ‘Miss’ title victory since Rosanna Davison won Miss World in 2003.
Speaking after her success, Ms Foley said the victory was a deeply meaningful moment.
“Winning this title is incredibly special to me, not only personally but because I am so proud to bring an international Galaxy crown home to Ireland,” she said.
Recalling the moment Ireland was announced as the winner, she added: “To travel all the way to the Bahamas, stand on the international stage alongside women all around the world and then hearing ‘Ireland - Emerald Isle’ get announced as the winner was a moment I will never forget.”
Ms Foley first became involved in pageantry as a way of building her confidence while embracing interests that did not always conform to traditional expectations of girls.
“As a young girl I always liked the male stereotypical hobbies - I loved construction, I loved cars - and I really needed that confidence boost in something that was a bit more feminine,” she explained.
Outside the world of pageantry, Ms Foley works as a Health and Safety Officer in the construction sector.
She describes her lifestyle as “a mixture of hard hat and high heels”, and has made challenging gender stereotypes in the workplace a central part of her platform.
Ms Foley said working in a traditionally male-dominated industry can present difficulties for women, particularly when it comes to establishing themselves on construction sites.
“Breaking into a male-dominated industry like construction definitely has its challenges,” she said.
“When you're a woman walking onto a construction site it can sometimes feel you have to prove yourself a little bit more.”
However, she said she has never allowed those challenges to prevent her from pursuing her ambitions.
“But I never wanted being a woman to be something that held me back,” she said.
Following her international win, Ms Foley hopes to use her new platform to encourage more women and girls to challenge traditional stereotypes and pursue careers and interests regardless of gender expectations.
“I love showing that you don’t have to fit in one box - I can wear my hard hat and my high-vis to work and then put on a gown and compete in pageants on an international stage,” she said.
“I want to continue using my voice and my platform to encourage women as young girls not to limit themselves because of the stereotypes.”
