Maire Lynch is Miss Earth Northern Ireland 2017

Maire Lynch was crowned Miss Earth Northern Ireland 2017 on Sunday night.

The 19-year-old beauty from Derry bested 15 other candidates for the right to represent the Northern Ireland at the 2017 Miss Earth finals later this year.

Her elemental court included Grainne Gallanagh (Miss Air), Nadia Sayers (Miss Water) and Arlene Trainor (Miss Fire).

Lynch received the crown from last year’s winner Julieann McStravick, who made it to the Top 16 of the Miss Earth 2016 pageant.

“What I love about Miss Earth is that it’s so much different from any other beauty pageant,” said Lynch in an interview with Derry News prior to the finals.

“I have learned so much throughout the pageant about my environmental issue which is the use of animal testing for cosmetics.”

Northern Ireland is yet to win the Miss Earth crown. However, the country made it to the semifinals twice with Kayleigh O’Reilly (2009) and McStravick (2016). Missosology.Org