Cootehill girl shines as Face of Ireland

Heather McArdle from Dairybrae, Cootehill has had an amazing year since being crowned as the Face of Ireland at a gala weekend in Ballybofey, where Martin King was the compere. Heather has travelled the world during her reign and has regularly modelled clothes on Ireland AM on TV3. Blessed with a radiant smile, the Cootehill lady told The Anglo-Celt that she was brought up on a dairy farm and among her great passions are showjumping and horses. Heather was in Cavan Town on Tuesday of last week to perform the official opening of City Lady, a new fashion and beauty studio at Bridge Street. She is currently assigned to the Be Seen modelling agency in Dublin and explained that winning the Face of Ireland gave her great confidence and afforded her opportunities to meet wonderful people. She encountered JLS on her travels during the year and MGMT. The whole experience opened a lot of new and exciting doors for Heather and her hearty laugh comes to the fore when asked what her party piece was on the night she won the title. “I did a line dance, mixed with salsa dancing – it was certainly something different,†she explained. She has really enjoyed appearing on Ireland AM and Xposé and she has also did a shoot on the Off the Rails programme on RTE with Brendan Courtney. “I went over the New York and filmed the shoot at the biggest bridal store in the world, known as Clenfields,†said Heather. A quantity surveyor by profession, Heather has now also just qualified to teach horse riding. She has also received an offer of a job with Permanent TSB and Irish Life in banking and financial services in Blackrock... she hopes to take up the position in January. Life is not all easy though; when she is scheduled to do modelling on Ireland AM, she has to be in studio at 6am: “It is a big challenge and viewers would not realise the pressure one is under with all the quick changes. Also during some modelling shoots, you could go six hours without having anything to eat – it may look glamorous but it is also very hard work.†Heather says she would not really be doing the modelling if it was not for the opportunity to meet really lovely people and have good fun. “I promote Cavan and Cootehill every chance I get and the fact that I'm a country girl, and the fact that I can drive a tractor! I love Cootehill and Cavan in general and I'm proud to tell the world about all about it,†said Heather. She would love to one day realise her dream of having a job as a quantity surveyor, but with the downturn in the construction industry, that is not feasible for now. Heather concedes that she may have to leave the country to follow her chosen profession, but would prefer not to have to emigrate. She went to College in Sligo to avoid the city life “because I was such a country girl. But I have got used to various cities and it is so easy to get around New Yorkâ€. Her advice to any girl considering getting involved in competitions like the Face of Ireland and modelling is to give a go. “All this is something I never thought I would accomplish. I will not really fully appreciate what I have achieved and the enjoyment I have had until I stop doing it. I'm absolutely loving what I'm doing at present.†She never ceases to be amazed at how nice and down to earth famous people are when you get chatting to them. Heather is a daughter of Eamon and Therese McArdle. Her brother Edward (26) works in Money Point with the ESB as a mechanical and technical services engineer, and her brother Adrian (24) is a doctor at St. James's in Dublin, and is studying plastic surgery. The Cootehill girl also harbours a dream in the back of her mind to do some presenting on television and would not mind having a lash at an Ear To The Ground type role. She has met all the Xposé girls and was impressed with what they do and would also like to do something similar. There is every possibility Heather, with her easy country girl manner, will be gracing our screens in the years ahead. There are no airs or graces with our Heather, just a beautiful girl who is proud to be from Cavan.