Erin O'Flaherty was crowned Miss Missouri last weekend in the United States, and made history in the process.
Erin, 23, is the first ever openly gay contestant to take part in the Miss America pageant, and with a name like that, it would be hard to deny her Irish roots.
Erin, who came out when she was 18, has Irish heritage on both sides of her family, and we are chuffed to call her one of us.
This red-haired beauty was crowned Miss Missouri last week, and is set to take part in the Miss America contest tonight, in the hopes she'll be crowned the first openly gay winner.
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Erin is a college graduate, with a degree in legal studies. She also owns a boutique clothing shop, Rachel’s Grove in St. Louis, with her mum, aunt and sister.
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When asked about her win, Erin said "I'm on cloud nine really just to be Miss Missouri. I don't know that I intended to be the first gay contestant but I am. So I'm very excited about it.”
Erin, who was raised on a farm, spoke to the Associated Press ahead of the competition, which started earlier this week.
They say when you’re ready for a baby you just know. But, we’re not too sure. Surely there's a list to tick off so we know we're not making a major decision based on our hormone fluctuations?
Granted, babies are ridiculously cute and their heads happen to smell like magic and happiness, but this is precisely what hoodwinks us into thinking we’re ready, when we’re actually not.
So if you’re wondering if you’re ready or not to become a baby mama, try out these nine sure-fire signs for size:
1. You’re ready to sacrifice your life for another human
Oh sure, it sounds dramatic, but if you’re looking after a kid, you can’t even go to the bog alone. Yep, as soon as you have a baby you’re suddenly the loyal slave of a pooing, dribbling little overlord. So in the words made immortal by “Maniac 2000”, are you ready?
2. You don’t care about giving up spontaneous nights out
The rigmarole of getting a babysitter – not to mention attempting leaving your child without having an emotional meltdown – seriously scuppers any impromptu nights on the town. Instead, a night hitting the pub is akin to a military sting operation, involving blueprints, complicated strategies and a field plan.
3. You REALLY want a baby, but you’re worried you won’t be able for it
You know what, asking yourself this question shows maturity, so A+ for you. Most mams worry they’ll be shite parents anyway; it’s normal. And think about this, if the hilarious walking disaster that is Bridget Jones can handle becoming a mammy, so can you. (Yes, Bridget is back and she’s up the duff!) This is the woman that made blue soup for Lord’s sake.
4. One Born Every Minute fills you with wonderment and joy (instead of terror)
If a soothing night in front of the telly for you is listening to the harrowing screams of women as they push human beings out of their hoo-has, chances are you’re good to go.
5. You’re cool with spending money on ‘baby stuff’ and not ‘you stuff’
If you’re not absolutely horrified by the prospect of eschewing a new pair of heels for a Bugaboo, then go forth dear friend and conceive, with our many blessings.
6. Your gaff is suitable for a baby
We hate to wreck the buzz, but there are practicalities to caring for a baby. So if you’re sharing a party house with six students and a mysterious man in his 50s called Maurizio, chances are you’re not ready to start planning for a kid.
7. You’re a responsible, functioning member of society
If you’ve answered yes to this, what’s your secret? We joke, we joke. First things first, if the word ‘responsible’ makes you feel queasy, you’re probably not that responsible. Secondly, if you beg your Mam to fill out your forms because you’re “not able for it” we’re going to suggest holding off on the old fertilisation.
8. You’ve had your baby names picked out since you were 12
If you’ve been dreaming about meeting Arabella, Jaxon and Honeyflower for as long as you can remember, you’re probably ready by now.
9. You just want one goddammit
Because sometimes you DO just know. Go for it girl!
And to get you in the mood for 123,679 nappies and pacing the floor with puke on your shoulder, check out Bridget juggling Colin with McDreamy in the gas new flick Bridget Jones's Baby. Welcome back Bridge!
When Calvin Harris and Taylor Swift called it quits earlier this year, the vast majority of us waited for the inevitable fall-out, but for some time, save for a diplomatic tweet on the part of Calvin, there was nothing but radio silence.
Until there wasn't.
As Taylor launched into one of the most talked-about romances of the year with British actor, Tom Hiddleston, the media plagued Calvin for comment on his former girlfriend's new romance.
And, unsurprisingly, as he found himself dragged into the media circus that was the Hiddleswift saga, the Scottish DJ cracked, and called Tay out on Twitter in a move which he says led to all hell breaking loose.
Responding to Taylor's decision to reveal she co-wrote Rihanna's This Is What You Came For with him, Calvin hit out at her motives.
"I know you’re off tour and you need someone new to try and bury like Katy ETC but I’m not that guy, sorry. I won’t allow it," he tweeted at the time.
Reflecting on the fall-out from that decision, Calvin recently told GQ: "When it ended, all hell broke loose. Now I see that Twitter thing as a result of me succumbing to pressure."
"It took me a minute to realise that none of that stuff matter. I’m a positive guy," he added.
While acknowledging that break-ups happen all the time, Calvin admitted he didn't anticipate the drama that followed their split.
"For both of us it was the wrong situation. It clearly wasn’t right so it ended, but all that stuff that happened afterwards…"
Give it a few months and we'll be hearing Tom's version of the saga…
A mentally-ill young man stabbed new dad Dr Jeroen Ensink to death as he went to post baby cards announcing the birth.
His daughter, Fleur, had arrived into the world just 11 days before the tragedy.
The 41-year-old academic was renowned in his field and died metres from the front door of his London home on December 29 last year.
Femi Nandap, 23, had launched a random, vicious attack, repeatedly stabbing Dr Ensink.
Jeroen's wife, Nadja, was at home with their baby. She became concerned at his delay and went outside to see if she could see him. There, she found his body among Fleur's baby cards, which were strewn on the ground and splattered in blood.
Her husband was pronounced dead at the scene.
This morning at the Old Bailey, Nandap, of Woolwich, south-east London, admitted the manslaughter of Dr Ensink by reason of diminished responsibility. He appeared via video link from Broadmoor hospital.
The case has been adjourned until October 10 for sentencing.
Prosecutor Duncan Atkinson QC told the court: "There has been extensive psychiatric consideration in this case and the psychiatric opinion is clear, cogent and unanimous."
He added: "Given the defendant's history, the facts of the offence itself, the Crown take the view it is not in the public interest to pursue the murder allegation and that decision has been taken I'm consultation with the family of the deceased."
Less than three months before he killed Jeroen, who was originally from Holland, Nandap appeared in court accused of possessing a knife and assaulting a police officer.
It was alleged he had two kitchen knives with him in Edmonton on May 22, 2015 and that he assaulted PC Wellings on the same day.
Dr Ensink was a renowned water engineer and a dedicated humanitarian who was committed to improving access to water and sanitation in deprived countries.
We knew this was coming, and yet nothing prepared us for the chaos seen in Dublin city and its suburbs today.
With the memory of the recent Luas strikes still fresh in the public’s mind, we squared our shoulders and navigated the Dublin Bus strike as best we could, but Christ it wasn’t easy.
Speaking ahead of the anticipated disruption, AA’s Conor Faughnan said: “I think it will be particularly bad on the N11 corridor coming in to town.”
“We're also likely to see heavy traffic on the Naas Road, the Lucan Road and on the northside, the Swords Road,” he added.
Commenting on this morning’s developments, a spokeswoman for AA Roadwatch said: “Traffic was backed up to Junction 6 Celbridge by 8.15am with long delays reported to the M50 which also saw increased volumes in traffic at a much earlier time than we would usually see.”
With an extra 25,000 cars on the roads, the vast majority of commuters spent hours at a standstill while others were involved in collisions as motorists struggled to contend with the heavier traffic.
Oh, and anyone who thought they had escaped the chaos by hopping on a Luas was in for a rude awakening as tram drivers announced a technical fault between Brides Glen and Carrickmines which ground services between the Green Line stops to a halt.
All in all, the morning's chaos made for some pretty classic tweets… you can't say we don't know how to laugh in the face of adversity.
The world's most handsome royal has now been revealed… and it's no surprise that none-other than red-headed hottie Harry has scooped the crown.
The 31-year-old, who is very much single, topped the global poll of ten titled hunks.
Also featured were the likes of runner-up Prince Carl Philip, 37, fourth in line to the throne in Sweden, and third-placed Andrea Casiraghi, 37, who is fourth in line to the throne of Monaco.
In fifth place was Prince Félix, 32, who is second in line for the throne of Luxembourg. He speaks seven languages.
King Felipe VI of Spain came in seventh place and eighth place went to 30-year-old Prince Amedeo of Belgian.
Sadly, Harry's elder bro William only made it to No.9 – something which Crown Clinic in Manchester, a top hair transplant centre, says is down to his lack of hair.
"What is interesting about the poll is where Prince William would have finished if it had been conducted five or ten years ago," Crown hair transplant surgeon Asim Shahmalak said.
"I suspect that he would have been level or even ahead of his younger brother Harry.
"William has dropped down the rankings because he has lost most of his hair and is now even more bald than his father Prince Charles."
He also warned: "There is every chance that it will be passed down to Prince William's son Prince George when he grows up."
*If you don't want to know anything about the Gilmore Girls revival – look away NOW*
When the Gilmore Girlsrevival was announced, we all jumped for joy and raced to watch the series from start to finish all over again.
We have so many questions… Like, will Lorelei ever just marry Luke? And who will Rory choose? We know it's not Dean, so Logan? Or Jess? And how will they get around the tragedy of Edward Herrmann's (Richard Gilmore) death?
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While we may have to wait a while for all of these questions to be answered (doesn't time feel like it's dragging?), a little ray of sunshine dropped on us this morning. And that little ray of sunshine is the first page of the script. GAH.
And even though it reveals nothing about what's going to happen, it brings us right home to Stars Hollow.
