Press Releases

No Shortage of Style, Glamour or Prizes at this years Best Dressed Lady Competition. « Return to Press Releases
No Shortage of Style, Glamour or Prizes at this years Best Dressed Lady Competition.
5 Aug 2008

The Fashion Event of the year took place at Lady’s Day of the Galway Races on Thursday 31st July. In a year which saw unprecedented levels of interest, the ladies turned out in their thousands to impress the judges to be in with a chance of winning the eagerly anticipated prize fund of €17,000 sponsored by Anthony Ryan Ltd with the Ardilaun Hotel sponsoring Best Hat

The fashion keywords of the day were sophisticated, elegant, colourful and feminine. Ballybrit was dominated by colour with refreshing summer brights. There was an ultra feminine direction with dresses of soft silhouette, lightweight fabrics and delicate floral prints. Dresses were also worn in simple blocks of colour with everything from extravagant ruffles to the one shoulder dress.

The judging panel consisted of well known media personalities and fashion journalists – Bairbre Power Editor of the Weekend magazine at the Irish Independent and fashion stylist on RTE's The Afternoon Show, PJ Gibbons, Editor, Social and Personal Magazine, Lorraine Keane, presenter Xposé on TV3 as well as Patricia McCrossan, Editor, Galway NOW.

Mr Anthony Ryan Managing Director of Anthony Ryan Ltd, sponsor of the event was on hand to present Carol Kennelly from Tralee, Co Kerry with a magnificent 1st prize of €4000 cash, a 55 diamond white gold neckpiece valued at €6000, €2000 shopping spree for Anthony Ryan’s department store in Galway as well as a crystal vase from the collection by Irish Fashion Designer Louise Kennedy. The Runner-up prize also sponsored by Anthony Ryan Ltd. went to Cathy Casey from Limerick. This prize consisted of an Anthony Ryans shopping prize to the value of €1,500. Mr Ryan commented that despite the prophets of doom and talk of recession Ladies Day at the Galway Races has bucked the trend and all sorts of records have been broken. ‘The sheer appetite from the general public for this event never ceases to amaze me’, commented Mr. Anthony Ryan.

Mr. John Ryan, Managing Director of The Ardilaun Hotel who sponsored the prize for Best Hat congratulated Lisa Kennedy who was the winner of ‘Best Hat’. ‘It’s been a great day of outstanding style and elegance – the judges had a difficult task. We are delighted to be associated with this great social event and I hope the winner enjoys her prize,’ commented Mr. John Ryan.