Young County Roscommon woman delighted to be Miss World Ireland finalist

A young County Roscommon woman will represent her county in this year’s Miss World Ireland competition.

Latisha McCrudden from Lisacul is among the finalists for the competition. She told the Herald she is very excited to be taking part.

“I came across the application process on the current Miss World Ireland's, Caoimhe Kenny, social media page,” Latisha explained. The process involved a written application, followed by a video application, “and then I was told I was selected as one of the finalists”.

“The launch of the 2027 Miss World Ireland competition is at the end of September and the competition itself won’t be on until November in Dublin,” Latisha said. “It’s a brilliant opportunity.” 

A final year law student at NUIG, Latisha has three sponsors, Bríd Miller Solicitors, Roscommon Women’s Network, and the Sligo Travellers Support Group, and all the sponsors reflect her personality and beliefs.

“The law, women’s rights, protections against domestic abuse, Traveller and ethnic minority rights, they are all areas that I will try to highlight during the competition. I have been advocating about these issues since I was a young teenager,” she said, and she thanked Ms Miller for her help and support.

“I never wanted to do anything but law. From as young as six or seven, that is what I wanted. Nora Fahy from the Roscommon Women’s Network is also a great help,” she said. “For one of the dresses for the competition, we are going to work with the Roscommon Women’s Network’s  CycleUp group. They have always been a great support.” 

As well as her many other achievements, including winning the Young Volunteer of the Year Award earlier this year, Latisha is also a black belt in karate, achieved when she was just 14, and this skill will help her during the talent section of the competition. During this section, she will use the karate bo staff which will include a sequence of elegant, learned movements.

“It’s a big stick,” she said with a laugh. “It is a traditional weapon and it has a pattern of movements that you have to master. It was probably my favourite part of karate.

“With college, I haven’t had much of a chance to do a lot of karate but I am going to go back to it. There is an opportunity next year for a professional tournament in Birmingham, and I am hoping I can be added to the card and compete in it,” she said. “I have taught and coached karate and I would have aspirations in the future to have my own karate club. It is for respect, discipline and self defence and is a great sport for anyone to get involved in.” 

She will also be judged on her communication and public speaking skills. As someone who has spoken honestly and bravely about her own mental health challenges, her message of kindness and respect is sure to resonate with the judges.

“I have seen that life can be hard and unfair. Everyone is going through their own struggles, you never know what people are going through,” she said. “During my darkest days, for a stranger to smile at you, would show you there is kindness still in the world. A gesture like that can go a very long way when you are in a dark place.” 

Also very interested and active in politics, Latisha hopes to perhaps run for election in the future. “I would still have a big ambition for that,” she said. “I am part of organisations working for greater participation of women in elections and politics.” 

Latisha’s Travelling community heritage, through her mother Susan, is a huge part of who she is, and she is proud to represent that community too. “I hope the fact there is a Traveller woman in the competition shows that there are more opportunities out there. Women can have a career and a family. It’s 2026 and women can have both. I want my younger sister Tulisha to see that," she said.