Sophie on Miss Ireland mental health campaign

A young Kilcullen woman who has reached the final stages of the Miss Ireland 2025 competition is seeking sponsorship to complete her campaign, writes Brian Byrne. She is Sophie Murphy, a 23-year-old who works in healthcare.

The sponsorship package required totals €1,500 which will help to cover tutorials, workshops, photoshoots and the final event, which takes place in March 2025. Any excess contributions that Sophie receives will be donated to The Children’s Health Foundation.

Sophie is very open about her own mental health struggles as she grew up with Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD) and Depersonalisation Disorder (DPD). She wants to use her campaign and, should she win the title, her position to raise awareness of these and provide support for those facing similar challenges. "Like most young girls, as I was growing up I constantly looked for women I looked up to, related to and admired," she says. "Some of them were previously crowned Miss Ireland. I found that this helped in reminding me of the person I aspired to be and guided me through difficult stages, where I lost sight of that person."

At the age of 16, Sophie volunteered at a girls' rescue centre in Kenya, an experience that she says profoundly impacted her perspective on life and helping others. "I see taking part in Miss Ireland as an opportunity to amplify my efforts in helping those less fortunate and those in need."

More details of how you can support Sophie are on her GoFundMe page.

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