Fear of a backlash as child pageant returns
Parents want shows, insists contest’s boss
CHILDREN’S pageant organisers are to host another contest here next month – despite widespread criticism of their debut show.
Texas-based Universal Royalty struggled to find a venue for their first Irish contest last September after a backlash from the media and members of the public.
Critics said such beauty contests, where children wear elaborate costumes, get made up and put on high heels, were morally wrong and lead to the sexualisation of minors.
But Universal Royalty boss Annette Hill has insisted that she has
‘I’m still shocked at what happened’
not been put off returning despite the widespread anger over the first contest when her first-choice venue suddenly cancelled.
Yesterday she announced that a Christmas pageant – again open to babies and toddlers – would happen on December 14.
Ms Hill revealed that she has been approached by six hotel bosses in the past two months to stage an event at their venue.
Although the identity of the location is again likely to be kept under wraps for as long as possible, Ms Hill said that she was hoping to stage the seasonal competition in Cork. She said: ‘A lot of crazy stuff happened when I was last over, things which I’ve never experienced in my 18 years in this business.
‘I’m still shocked at what took place and how the media treated us. It drove me completely nuts. But it hasn’t put me off. In fact, it’s made me want to return even more.
‘I’m coming back because Irish parents want us back.
‘There’s a huge demand in Ireland for it.
‘I’ll be bringing some more staff with me this time to make sure I don’t go through what I did last time. I’ll be better prepared, that’s f or sure, and I know what to expect.’
In September, plans by Universal Royalty to stage its Irish debut pageant were in tatters days before the event after bosses of The Bracken Court hotel in Balbriggan, North Co. Dublin, pulled out.
Pageant chiefs then searched the country to locate an alternative venue, which they only managed to confirm on the night before the scheduled contest.
But the move to keep the identity of the venue a secret as long as possible backfired, after 20 families withdrew their children. In the end, just 30 youngsters took part in a smaller contest at a function room in Corrigan’s Kitchen, a pub and restaurant in Castleblayney, Co. Monaghan.
Ms Hill has vowed to stage more such contests in 2014 after the Christmas one in Cork.
She said: ‘I’ll definitely be back over next year.
‘We’re already thinking about staging a big pageant in Ireland next September again.’