BY JANA McCABE
AS the Miss Northern Ireland final draws ever closer, 17-year-old Miss Belfast Harriet Eadie’s preparations are well underway, but she’s certainly not setting aside her Ards Rangers football career in the process.
Harriet, from Newtownards, will compete for the Miss Northern Ireland crown between May 25 and 27 at the Europa Hotel, Belfast. And before that, she will be undertaking a sky dive in aid of Autism NI.
“If you had asked me a year ago, I would never have seen myself taking part in the Miss Northern Ireland competition,” Harriet admitted.
“I actually applied to join the agency, ACA, and they advised me to apply for the Belfast heat of Miss Northern Ireland as I didn’t have modelling experience. I was kind of shrugging it off and not knowing how well I would do and then I had a realisation that I would kick myself if I missed the opportunity so I thought I’d give it a go and see what happens and here we are!
“Throughout the whole process and everything I do, I think it’s important to give everything your all and what’s meant for you won’t pass you by.”
Harriet is currently studying for her A Levels in Art and Design, Sports Science and Performing Arts with the ambition of going to university later this year.
“It’s still sinking in even as more stuff happens,” she added.
“After I won Mis Belfast it has been a whirlwind and an entirely surreal experience for me and totally unexpected.
“It was mental going into school after, all my friends had been so supportive throughout it all. There has been a bit of jealously, but moving past that and remembering how far I am going to take this and how I will be able to take this experience into my everyday life makes it worth it.
“It’s all about forgetting the negatives that people may say and any negative thoughts and realising that I’m doing this for myself and that I’m getting more experience within the industry.”
The Newtownards native plays for Ards Rangers, who compete in Division 5 of the NI Women’s FA leagues.
“It’s been amazing with Ards Rangers, and they have been so supportive,” Harriet added.
“We have been training in the rain and mud recently and everyone is going ‘from all the beauty to the muddy pitches’.
“Everyone has been so supportive and kind. They have really helped with my fundraising. It’s another family I have and I’m so grateful to have them all.
“When I first started with Ards Rangers, I was nervous as I didn’t know what I was going into but the first training session everyone was so warm and friendly and it’s amazing to see how much we have grown as a team since then.
“It’s not just about the leagues and the competitions which are behind it all, it’s the people who you choose to spend hours and hours within a week that really impact you off the football pitch.”
Harriet’s choice for the talent show section of Miss Northern Ireland is singing and she is also doing a skydive from 15,000 feet in the air in aid of Autism NI, despite her fear of heights, on May 24.
“There were a few different options, there were ziplines, the Belfast marathon and then there was sky diving,” she related.
“I thought ‘you know what? I have come this far already and 2024 is the year of pushing myself and go big or go home!’”
The link for her JustGiving page is below for those who would like to donate to her skydive challenge.
Picture: SEAN DONEGAN
BELOW: Harriet in action for Ards Rangers
