Stylish Finea nurse and mum-of-six is voted tops
MUM-of-six and staff nurse at Cavan General Hospital, Mary Thompson, was voted the overall winner of the County Cavan Style Coaching Competition by an audience of over 400 in the Hotel Kilmore last Thursday evening. Among the goals accomplished by the fun-loving and outgoing contestant, who is a native of Mullahoran living in Finea, were giving up smoking, losing weight and sporting a new look. "I feel like a new woman. There's a glow about me and it's certainly not the glow of a cigarette," Mary Thompson told the audience on the night, admitting that she has had the occasional cigarette lapse, but is well on her way to quitting completely, thanks to support at the hospital and from her family.
Mary was nominated by her colleagues at Cavan General to undergo an eight-week style coaching programme at the hands of Bernie Delaney and Grainne Smith, who have been billed as this region's answer to Trinny and Susannah.
"She is our friend and we love her very dearly… She is always giving to other people and we would like someone to do something nice for her," wrote Mary's fellow staff nurses in the nomination letter. Mary's goals were to quit smoking, lose weight and have fun. "This was a fabulous opportunity. I have achieved a lot and hope to continue to," said the winner, adding that a photo of one of her relaxing moments during the programme was well viewed in last week's Anglo-Celt. "I'm sure you all saw the photo of a fine hunk of a man giving me a massage," laughed Mary, who looked stunning in a black and white ensemble.
Mary's competitors, Rachel McDonald, Vanessa Smith, Kathleen Brady and Aine O'Reilly, also appeared on the stage last Thursday alongside 'before' photographs and video footage of their programmes, revealing startling transformations. Style coaches, Bernie and Grainne, said they were proud of all of the contestants.
"All five women either had reached their goals or had started to do so. They showed great commitment to their personalised programmes, meeting up with us every week, doing everything we asked them to do and really putting their lives on hold. They each looked stunning on the night and we had good fun with them, too."
The five contestants received new looks courtesy of Scissor Sisters Hair Salon, Elegance Beauty Salon, Cavan Holistic Centre, the Spa at the Radisson SAS Farnham Estate Hotel, Evolution Gym with personal trainer Nicholas Walsh and Grainne and Bernie. The glamorous evening, MC'd by Sligo presenter, Scruffy Duffy, also included a fashion show with styles from Sally West, Byoung, Ichi, Vanilla Boutique, Mystique, Heavenly Sole and DT One (menswear modelled by players from the Cavan team).