Talented Junk Kouture winners to create crown for Mary from Dungloe

Robyn O’Donnell, Orlaith Doherty and Bronach Harkin who are students at Carndonagh Community School, have been asked by the organisers of the Mary from Dungloe Festival to craft a crown for this year’s winner.

The trio were lauded around the country earlier this year when they fought off stiff competition to win Junk Kouture.

Their design, ‘Synergy’, a fishtail gown made of sea glass, plastic milk cartons and recycled glass such as bottles and jam jars, reigned supreme over 80 finalists from across Ireland in the recycled fashion competition.

Speaking to the Journal, the students told how life has been a whirlwind since their win, with media interviews and their pictures splashed across newspapers and websites nationwide.

They are ‘absolutely honoured’ and ‘so proud’ to have been asked to create the crown for the festival, which has another local connection as it is to be hosted by Buncrana’s Grainne Gallanagh.

The girls have been working hard to ensure the crown is fit for a Mary from Dungloe.

The trio have been given ‘free rein’ on the design and have been looking for inspiration in the local landscape and are also working towards something Grecian inspired that celebrates strong women and empowerment.

Bronach added: “We had a couple of ideas at the start of what we wanted to do. Because it is such a prestigious event we wanted it to look glamorous and be something that the winner would be honoured to have.”

As they are still at school, the trio have been working on the piece during lunch breaks and in their spare time.

They expressed their thanks to everyone who has helped them over the last few months and given them the opportunities.