Miss Kilkenny Caitlin is a role model for anyone with a disability

A newly crowned Miss Kilkenny is hoping to be the role model for children that she needed when she was little.

Caitlin Raven, who lives in Urlingford, is 21 and a student of social care at TUS. She also has Type 1 diabetes. But one of the core messages Caitlin hopes to bring to her time as Miss Kilkenny is "to show people that all disabilities hidden and shown, big and small are beautiful."

Diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes at the age of nine, Caitlin had been very ill as a child. Even after her diagnosis she had to go on a special diet and she was limited in what sports she could play.

However, there was a silver lining in the experience, and that was the Make A Wish Foundation. The organisation makes dreams come true for children living with lifelong conditions. Caitlin's wish at the time was to go on a New York shopping spree - and that's what she did! Along with her parents and younger siblings the family spent a week in the Big Apple.

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It was such an amazing experience for Caitlin and her family that she always said if she got a chance to fundraise for Make A Wish she would, to give another child that opportunity. Now she has that chance with the charity side to the Miss Ireland competition. Caitlin is organising a Halloween Night Out, with a grand raffle, in the coming weeks, in aid of Make A Wish. Stay tuned for dates and details!

The regional selection process for Miss Ireland, where Caitlin was chosen as Miss Kilkenny, took place in Dublin in August. 

Her interest in the competition started with her involvement in the Rose of Tralee, a few years ago. It gave Caitlin a love for pageants, she said, but it took a bit of convincing by her mother, Tamsyn, to convince her to go for Miss Ireland.

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Caitlin explained that because of her diabetes she wears 'a lot of machines' like an insulin pump, and her body has the scars and bruises of treatment. She was nervous going into the Miss Ireland competition because she worried she wouldn't have anywhere to put her pump, with the outfits. But Tamsyn pointed out it was Caitlin's opportunity to show beauty has many forms. Now Caitlin is advocating for all people with a disability, be it hidden or obvious to others. Don't let your disability hold you back, go for it! 

She also has great support from her boyfriend Jonathan Strapp, who encouraged her to go for Miss Ireland, and her siblings Mathew, Kayla and Kayleigh.

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Caitlin is enjoying the competition activities so far, from meeting the other participants to taking part in photo shoots and planning her charity event. She's overwhelmed with the support she has received since being named Miss Kilkenny, that she didn't expect.

The Miss Ireland final will take place on November 5.