A WEST Belfast woman will represent Antrim at Miss Ireland 2026 later this month.
Toni Shields from the Suffolk Road is a teacher and has been involved in modelling for the past two years.
Toni has been selected to represent Antrim in the Miss Ireland 2026 Grand Final on Saturday 21 November at The Fairways Hotel in Dundalk.
Speaking to the Andersonstown News, Toni said: "I am immensely proud to be representing Antrim at Miss Ireland 2026, and just as proud to be doing it as a woman from West Belfast, the community I call home.
"I see Miss Ireland as a chance to honour the people who have shaped me. Growing up in West Belfast, I saw neighbours look out for one another and communities come together to lift those around them. That taught me the value of shared ambition and that success is measured not just by what one person achieves but by what a whole community achieves together. As a teacher I want the children I teach to see that what I have achieved was only possible because of the support around me, and that the same is possible for them.
Toni says education has shaped her life, and she hopes to shape other people’s lives.
"I studied at St Mary’s University College on the Falls Road where I completed my degree, Masters and a postgraduate qualification in Education Leadership. I am now a qualified teacher and a PhD researcher at Ulster University, where my research focuses on understanding and overcoming barriers to physical activity among low-income families.
"Physical activity has always been a big part of my life and I have seen the confidence, discipline and wellbeing it brings, which is why I want every child to have the chance to experience it too but I also know that cost, time and opportunity put sport out of reach for many families, and I do not believe a child’s income should determine their health. My aim is to help tackle health inequalities and make sport and exercise accessible to everyone."
Toni says that for the past three years she has taught in a school where the children’s curiosity and determination motivate her every day. She is also involved in a number of projects.
"My Beauty with a Purpose project, ‘Mol an óige agus tiocfaidh sí’ (praise the youth and they will flourish), focuses on educational inequality in West Belfast. I am currently providing free tutoring to children preparing for the Transfer Test for secondary school entry, because I believe a child’s background and family income should not decide how far they can go. For me, it is about much more than academic preparation. It is about giving children the extra support to recognise their potential and the confidence to believe in it.
"Alongside this, I am pleased to be supporting the vital work already being done across Belfast.
"On Sunday 8th November, from 8:30am to 10:45am, I am organising a Christmas fundraising event at Shaftesbury Community Centre, in partnership with the centre and Lenadoon Women’s Group, to support toy appeals for families in South and West Belfast. The morning will bring people together through sport, with a run, a Hyrox-style fitness circuit, and basketball and boxing for children. It reflects my research on making physical activity something everyone can enjoy, whatever their circumstances.
"Whether you are a seasoned runner or have never tried a fitness class, you are very welcome to join us. Families and children are especially encouraged to come along. All proceeds will be divided equally between the two organisations to help local families this Christmas. Separately, I will be taking part in a Vinted sale at Glen Community Centre, donating everything I raise to ‘Medical Aid for Palestinians’.
"I am really enjoying my time representing Antrim at Miss Ireland so far. I have met women from across the country, each rooted in their own community, and it has been a privilege to learn from them. To me, Miss Ireland is a chance to show the best of how Ireland raises its people: the neighbours, families, teachers and local groups who back us long before any of us entered a competition like this. I am proud to carry Antrim and West Belfast with me, and to stand alongside women who are doing the same for the places they call home."
