They spent years standing in bikinis for photoshoots on cold winter days on the streets of Dublin - but where have Ireland's well known models disappeared to?
The 'photocall' module might well be a thing of the past, but we'll always have fond memories of those days gone by.
Here we take a look at some well-known models who paid their dues and strived to become successful women in recent years.
Nadia Forde
Voted by FHM readers as one of the 100 Sexiest Women in the World, model Nadia is one of the most famous media personalities in Ireland, having been featured in various TV shows such as UK’s I’m a Celebrity… Get Me Out of Here! and her own Nadia Goes to Hollywood.
In September of 2013, Forde sang the Irish national anthem before Ireland’s football match in Sweden. She has recorded several singles as well.
In 2018, Nadia and Welsh rugby star Dominic Day announced the birth of their daughter Wyatt. In 2019, Nadia tied the knot to Dominic in a stunning ceremony in Puglia, Italy.
In 2022, the couple moved back home so their daughter could grow up in Ireland.
Nadia began landing acting roles in recent years and is currently filming political Finnish thriller, Conflict.
Rosanna Davison
Rosanna bagged the Miss World title in 2003, becoming the first representative of Ireland to ever win the crown since the international pageant’s inception in 1951.
Since her pageantry days, Rosanna has become a mother of three. Her daughter, Sophia, was born via surrogacy in 2019. She welcomed twin boys, Oscar and Hugo in 2020 with husband Wes Quirke.
Rosanna is also an author of two Eat Yourself Fit books as well as her own biography, When Dreams Come True, which she released in 2021.
Thalia Heffernan
Top model Thalia followed her mum Susan Ebrill into the modelling industry and has been in the business for over 10 years, after starting out when she was 15.
And at the young age of 17, Thalia was signed by UK modelling agency Premier model management – the same agency as supermodels Naomi Campbell and Christy Turlington.
She has also worked alongside well-known Irish models Roz Purcell, Rosanna Davison and Vogue Williams.
In 2017, she competed on RTE’s Dancing With The Stars where she was partnered with Ryan McShane. The couple found love and dated for six years before splitting in January this year after Thalia moved to New York to chase a modelling career.
Georgia Salpa
Greek-born Georgia Salpa grew up in Dublin, Ireland, after moving there when she was five years old. She catapulted to fame when she got featured on Celebrity Big Brother.
In May 2015, Salpa married British millionaire Joe Penna in Portofino, Italy and moved to Dubai. Together they have three children via surrogacy.
Roz Purcell
Winner of the Miss Universe Ireland crown in 2010, Tipperary native Rozanna Purcell found fame after she was approached by a modelling agent when she was an 18-year-old college student.
When her stint as Miss Universe was over, Purcell moved to New York City, USA to pursue a serious career in modelling.
She returned home and has since become an ambassador for various charities, while also setting up The Hike Life.
She is a bestselling author as well, having published a successful cookbook entitled Natural Born Feeder: Whole Foods Whole Life in 2016.
Glenda Gilson
Glenda was one of the faces of the Irish modelling landscape after she landed a job hosting Xpose on TV3, now Virgin Media.
In 2021, mum-of-two Glenda sent shockwaves through the showbiz industry when she announced that she was leaving Virgin Media after 14 years on air.
She said the move came after years of going ‘100 miles an hour’ working on fast paced shows such as Ireland AM and her longtime role on Xpose.
Pippa O’Connor
Pippa began her career in Ireland as a model who took the Miss Kildare crown before entering the Miss Ireland contest at just 18 years old.
She quickly became one of Ireland’s most well-known models, gracing the front of newspapers and magazines daily.
In 2008, she met Brian Ormond in Krystle nightclub in Dublin.
At the time, Pippa was working as a model having just won Miss Kildare. She was entering the Miss Ireland contest as her soon-to-be partner Brian was hosting shows such as Irish Popstars, You’re A Star and Pop Idol in the UK.
Brian was already father to seven-year-old Chloe with his former girlfriend Natara Byrne.
The couple married on May 18, 2011 just three years after meeting. They tied the knot at St Patrick’s Church outside Enniskerry in Co Wicklow with the reception taking place at the Ritz-Carlton in Powerscourt.
They went on to have two sons, Louis and Ollie.
Pippa has become a hugely successful businesswoman in Ireland, creating her brand Poco by Pippa.
Holly Carpenter
Holly Carpenter won the Miss Ireland pageant in 2011. She competed at the 2011 Miss World pageant held in London.
In 2013, Carpenter was named among 28 semi-finalists for the ninth cycle of Britain & Ireland's Next Top Model. She was chosen as one of the 14 finalists competing for the title. After several appearances in the bottom three/four, she was eliminated in episode 9 and became the 8th eliminated.
In January 2017, Carpenter appeared on Celebrity MasterChef Ireland. She was eliminated in the first week of the competition.
Carpenter appeared on the 2019 series of Dancing With The Stars. She was eliminated from the competition in week four.
Vogue Williams
Howth native Vogue Williams burst onto our screens on Dublin reality show, Fade Street in 2010.
The episodes included Vogue's work at Stellar Magazine, her acting studies and her interest in disk jockeying.
In 2012, Williams began her stint in the 12th series of Dancing with the Stars in Australia, partnered with Christopher Page; they were the third couple to be eliminated from the competition on 6 May 2012.
That same year she married former Westlife singer Brian McFadden but the couple split in 2017.
Vogue went on to find love with former Made in Chelsea star Spencer Matthews. The couple are parents to three children, Theodore, Gigi and Otto. Vogue now lives in London but regularly returns home for visits to her native Howth.
The reality TV star is a regular face on our screens and is currently touring with comedian Joanne McNally on The My Therapist Ghosted Me tour as well as touring with her Spencer and Vogue podcast.
