Best Dressed Person 2009

Ballybrit, Galway, Thursday 30th July 2009: The winner of the Anthony Ryan’s Best Dressed Lady Competition on Ladies Day at the Galway Races was Mary Therese McDonnell from Santry, Dublin.

Ms.McDonnell wore a colorful silk kaftan dress from Neola in Malahide accessorized with a cerise pink flower hat.

Sporting a hat designed by Westport based milliner, Lena Stein, Sinead Purcell from Cappagh Road, Galway was the winner of the Anthony Ryan’s Best Hat Competition.

Mr. Anthony Ryan, Managing Director of Anthony Ryan Ltd who are this year celebrating 100 years in business was on hand in the Parade Ring to present Best Dressed Lady Mary Therese McDonnell with a magnificent first prize of a one carat diamond solitaire pendant valued at €8,000, a Louise Kennedy designed Tipperary Crystal Aurora Trophy, €2,000 Cash and €2,000 in vouchers for a shopping spree at Anthony Ryans Galway.

The winner of the ‘Best Hat’ Competition Sinead Purcell was presented with her prize of a luxury trip for two to Boston including flights and accommodation valued at €1,500 by Mr. Ryan and his mother, Mrs. Breda Ryan.

All 40 finalists in the Best Dressed Competition at the Anthony Ryan Marquee received a special collection of Lancôme cosmetics compliments of University Pharmacy, Galway.

Judging this year’s event were well-known Irish media personalities and fashion journalists –Sinead Desmond, presenter of Ireland AM on TV3; PJ Gibbons, Editor, Social and Personal Magazine; Bernard Connolly, international fashion stylist and fashion director with Social and Personal Magazine as well as Patricia McCrossan, Managing Director, Galway NOW and Fiona Durkin, Fashion Consultant with Anthony Ryan Ltd..

Cogniscent of the current economic climate, the judges were on the look out for a Best Dressed Lady with an innate sense of style who could put together a winning ensemble irrespective of the price tag.

“Yves St Laurent once said, ‘Fashion fades- style is eternal’, said Anthony Ryan Managing Director of Anthony Ryans. The winners of the Best Dressed Lady and Best Hat Competitions here today are to be congratulated for their outstanding sense of style and elegance. Despite the recession, Ladies Day here in Ballybrit has maintained its reputation as the most stylish and glamorous fashion event on the Irish racing calendar,” he concluded.

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Triumphant best dressed lady Mary Therese McDonnell.