US child beauty pageant organisers plan Irish trip
More than 300 Irish parents have written to the US organisers of a child beauty pageant, asking them to come to Ireland.
The US group today confirmed their plans to come here in November. They have refused to release any other details, including about the location or venue for the planned visit, fearing intrusive media attention.
Organisers say they do not encourage kids to tan, or to be overly made-up, but parents can present their children as they see fit.
Head of the Texas-based Universal Royal Beauty Pageant Annette Hill said that outside the US, Ireland is one of the biggest support bases for their pageants, second only to Australia.
"(The children) have to have their pageant gear on to compete...(but) we don't like make-up on the babies or toddlers," she said.
"From four and up, we like some hair and make-up, but it's only enough to accentuate their natural beauty on-stage. We're not wanting a four-year-old to look like a 30-year-old."
