Donegal's Miss Earth Ireland Layla Doherty on life-changing experience and 'best year ever.'

The 22-year-old recently returned from a month-long stay in Miss Earth host Vietnam, where she joined 84 other finalists from across the world.

Layla’s time in Vietnam was jam-packed, with visits to different locations, events, group projects and interviews ahead of the grand final on December 22.

Speaking to the Journal, Layla described her time in Vietnam as ‘surreal’ and said her amazing experience there is something she will never forget.

"It was insane, especially in the first week of landing there – you’re just in awe of everything. I would love to go back, the people are extremely friendly. There were also a few Irish over there – every event I went to, I ran into someone!”

Layla said she was honoured to represent Ireland on the world stage and was also ‘very proud’ to highlight the defective blocks crisis in Donegal.

Miss Earth Ireland focuses on the environment and Layla’s family home is impacted by defective blocks.

"I was something different for them to hear. The stuff other countries mentioned was quite general. I think it came across well. I did a few interviews out there and it seemed to stick with them. They knew what it was and it was mentioned quite a few times.”

Layla and all the Miss Earth finalists from Europe were also required to complete an eco-project and ‘ended up winning the whole thing’.

"We were given a week, maybe, to come up with the project. We focused on fast fashion and ended up winning it. It was brilliant.”

Miss Earth requires the beauty queens to ‘put the work in,’ but Layla said they were also made to feel like ‘absolute superstars’.

"We did some university tours, where we had to go up and do a presentation. They would ask us questions and you’d be put on the spot sometimes. But, they made us feel like superstars. Pageantry is such a big thing over there.

Layla said she made many firm friends during her time in Vietnam and formed strong relationships with Miss Earth Wales and Miss Earth England in particular.

The week ahead of the final consisted of a number of different events, catwalks and outfit changes, with the top 20 then chosen on the final night.

Layla didn’t make the top 20, but was over the moon for those who did and the overall winner, Miss Earth Albania.

"The girls who made the top 20 were a different calibre. Their whole lives went into it and everyone who was there deserved it. We were delighted to see Miss Earth Albania win it, as Europe had never won before. We were over the moon for her.”

Layla is grateful to he ‘brilliant’ Miss Earth Ireland team, all her sponsors, as well as the local community who supported her every step of the way.

"They were brilliant. I did an interview when I was out there and the guy who did it came to me the next day and said he’d never seen an interview get so many shares and comments from home. It was lovely to hear.”

Layla, who works in Maple, Ballyliffin, will continue to be Miss Earth Ireland for another few months and said she ‘absolutely loves’ it.

"This has been the best year ever. One word to describe it is ‘surreal’. It was like an out-of-body experience. It has definitely put me on a different path. I wasn’t sure what I wanted to do when I took a year out from college, but this has helped me in so many ways.

“It has changed my life, in a way. I’ll never forget this.”