It wasn’t going smoothly, so I had to lose him. I can’t be emotionally distraught from a guy. I’ve got sh*t to do

honest, up until then, I didn’t even know that the competition existed. I entered it, and three months later, I won.

The weird thing is that I had never posted a picture of myself in a bikini before. But it’s not just about being in a bikini. It’s so much deeper than that. It represents all the work I’ve done on myself from the inside-out. I’m standing here, saying, ‘Here I am, this fierce woman, standing tall’. I’ve been through so much, but here I am. It takes a certain calibre to do that, because you can’t hide anything. In the competition, there were a lot of 18-year-olds, but I’m 29. I want to be a role model for other women. It’s not too late to do anything.

So many of my friends give up. When they hit 29, they settle and they grab any guy. I’ve been single for three years, and I’m proud of that. I was seeing a guy, but it wasn’t going smoothly. I couldn’t afford any emotional distress, so I had to lose him. I have shit to do, and I can’t be emotionally distraught from a guy. You have to protect your empire.

After work, I might do a photoshoot. At weekends, I’ll go out with my friends and just let loose. I love to dance. I could have fun in the middle of a field. It’s a relief that I don’t go on Tinder [the dating app] any more. I’m still dating and meeting nice guys, but it’s happening naturally. Right now, I’m so busy enjoying all the opportunities which have come from Miss Bikini Ireland. I’m just back from the Dominican Republic as part of the competition.

I try to be in bed by 10.30pm. I love reading. My favourite book is The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho. I believe in God, but I’m not religious. I don’t believe in rules and regulations, but I believe in love and loving people and giving positivity. I used to read more, but now social media takes up a lot of my time. Since I won the competition, I have a fan base, so I put up photos on Instagram, to keep them up to date. You’re showing a piece of your life.

Before I go to bed, I wash my face and put on Creme de la Mer. Someone once told me, ‘Don’t waste money on clothes — focus on your skin, because you’ll wear that forever.’ Maybe that’s why I don’t have wrinkles.

Gratitude is a big thing for me. As I go to sleep, I thank God for my life. I’m very happy. And I’m so grateful for all the opportunities from Miss Bikini Ireland. It’s so much more than a competition. In conversation with Ciara Dwyer