Miss Donegal 2022 Hannah Mulcahy put her local charity shop in the spotlight at a fashion show this week, showing that beautiful clothes don’t have to be brand new.

Hannah, from Castlefinn, represented the Cunamh shop in Stranorlar during the Miss Ireland fundraising show for Variety Ireland on Sunday.

The theme for this year’s competition is “Our World, Our Future”, which inspired Hannah to think outside the box.

The contestants were challenged to find three looks to wear, but instead of spending hundreds on new looks, Hannah opted for pre-loved clothing donated to Cunamh. Her sustainable choices were a hit… and cost just €20!

Hannah, who is studying law in Queen’s University Belfast, says she always had an interest in thrift shopping.

“I try and get a lot of my clothes in second-hand shops and on Depop. Firstly, because I’m a student and don’t have a lot of money, and it’s always better to be sustainable.

“When I was at school in St Columba’s we did a lot of work related to solar panels, wind energy and awareness around fast-fashion.”

Teaming up with Cunamh gave Hannah the opportunity to promote the superb style in store.

She said: “Mary McGinley in the store was so helpful. She pulled out massive bags of clothes for me to pick from. There are gorgeous clothes there and a lot still had the tags on them. I would highly recommend to people to look in their local charity shops if they are searching for something, especially for occasionwear or for the Races.”

Cúnamh was formed 40 years ago and aims to help people in emergency situations eg. funeral cost, house fires, residential costs for spouses and family and those in serious life limiting conditions. They also support people in severe financial hardship in the Finn Valley area.