The search is on for the 2024 London Mary from Dungloe. The winner will represent London at the Mary from Dungloe International Arts Festival in Ireland on July 27–5 August 5, 2024. Past winners Erin Doohan and Caitlin Finn say the competition transformed their lives.
The Mary From Dungloe International Arts Festival has been held annually for the past 55 years in the town of Dungloe and centres around the pageant which finds a representative – affectionately dubbed ‘Mary’ – who best embodies the spirit of the festival, and who will be an inspiring ambassador for Donegal.
The winner is named ‘Mary From Dungloe’ for a 12-month period and acts as an official ambassador for the festival, the community and the county.
The festival, inspired by the song Mary From Dungloe’, attracts tens of thousands of visitors from around Ireland and all over the world to the town of Dungloe every year. Irish emigrant communities from around the globe take part in the festival by nominating a candidate from their city to represent them at the international pageant in Donegal.
There are Mary representatives from all over the globe, including London, Philadelphia, Washington DC Sydney, Dubai, Glasgow, Chicago, Melbourne, Spain, India, San Francisco, Miami, Manchester, New Jersey and New York.
The current London Mary title holder, Erin Doohan, 25, a primary school teacher.
“I love being the London Mary representative, and I feel it’s important I stay in contact with the other Mary’s, and that together we promote the festival around the globe,” Erin says.
The search is now open for the 2024 London Mary from Dungloe. To apply, send an email to [email protected].
General rules are that you have to be a London-based females aged 18–35 with a connection to Ireland.
The 2024 London Mary from Dungloe winner will be announced in March.
She will represent London alongside Mary’s from all over the world at the Mary from Dungloe International Arts Festival in Ireland on 27 July–5 August 2024.
The London Mary From Dungloe committee is a distinguished group of London-based individuals who all have strong Irish roots, including a number with direct Donegal connections. They are:
Jacqueline O’Donovan OBE
Bridie Cunningham
Troy Gallagher
Caroline Gallagher
Peader McFadden
Jessica Kelly
