‘I went on stage bald and I am so proud of myself’

A BEAUTY pageant contestant from Tallaght was recently crowned a winner in the National Shining Light Pageant – which also marked her first pageant since she lost her hair.

Samantha Nicholl, 43, who has a learning disability and is a past pupil of St Joseph’s Special School in Balrothery, is a seasoned beauty pageant contestant.

She has competed in the Ireland Galaxy Pageant, Supreme Beauty, Miss Charity, and in 2022 she won Miss Ireland Classic – then took an extended break from pageantry due to hair loss.

“Four weeks after winning, the crown my hair started to fall out,” Samantha told The Echo.

“My health has gotten a lot worse, as I went through a blood transfusion and three iron Infusions.

“My body wouldn’t produce any iron, so my hair started to give up and started to fall out.

“I had no chance to shave it off.

“My confidence went downhill, and I was struggling with my mental health – losing my hair was really putting me down.”

However, earlier this year Samantha found out about a pageant called Shining Light, which centres on providing a platform for women struggling with mental health to regain their confidence.

On April 6, Samantha competed in the National Shining Light Pageant in Northern Ireland, and it was a pivotal moment for her, as she took to the pageant stage for the first time since her hair loss.

“I was so, so nervous, because this was my first pageant with no hair, and I had done many pageants before – but with hair,” added Samantha.

“So, this is big for me, but I did it.

“Once I got on stage, it felt good.

“I went on stage bald, and I am so proud of myself for doing it, as it was not easy at all.

“After all the rounds I did it was time for the crowning. I won Best Awareness banner as my awareness was about hair loss, and I got Best Evening Gown for my dress from Quiz Tallaght.”

Still uplifted from her success for raising awareness and wearing a now award-winning gown, Samantha was then announced as the winner of National Shining Light.

Now Samantha has her sights set on competing in the International Shining Light Pageant next year and is enthusiastic about her experience.

“I would recommend anyone who is going through mental health to do this pageant,” she said, “as this pageant is a charity pageant to raise money for all different mental health causes.

“I feel a lot better since I did this pageant. It’s not because I won – it’s because I met some amazing ladies, and they shared their stories with their mental health.

“You don’t need hair to do a pageant, just go for it.

“Bald is beautiful, and I am so proud to be bald.

“This pageant has helped me so much and I made new friends for life.

“It was so nice to have all the support.

“It’s not easy to lose your hair, it’s very hard, but I am going to stay strong and be proud of my bald head and you should too.”