Dungloe’s Ellie Ward is crowned as 2025 Mary From Dungloe

The Dungloe Mary, Ellie Ward, has tonight been crowned as the 2025 Mary from Dungloe.

The Dungloe Mary will now hold the title for a year and act as an ambassador for the festival, Dungloe and Donegal. “It has been an absolute honour and privilege to represent Dungloe” Ellie said as she took the crown. 

Ellie’s Aunty Aoife was the 2014 Kildare Mary, close family friend Marissa Berry represented Philadelphia in 2017, and her cousin Adele made history as the first Dubai Mary in 2023, later crowned the 2023 Mary from Dungloe. Over the years, the nineteen-year-old has played on teams that brought home several Ulster and All-Ireland titles. Ellie is currently studying Health Science with Physiotherapy at ATU Letterkenny, where she was awarded a sports scholarship for the 2024/25 academic year in recognition of her dedication to Gaelic football. 

Fifteen ladies from around the world were selected for this year’s Mary From Dungloe International Arts Festival, and the winner received €3,000 travel vouchers, €1,000 cash, various hampers filled with goods, a crystal vase, a Gay Byrne tiara and a Mary From Dungloe necklace. This evening, Craig Byrne, The Connacht Mary’s fiancé, was also announced as the escort of the year.

Over the 10 days, the participating ladies wore their various sashes representing Birmingham was Ellen Luff, Donegal was Alanna O’Leary, Anna Sutcliffe for Dublin, Sarah Hughes representing the United Arab Emirates, the Midlands Mary was Tarragh Brady, Edinburgh Maria O’Donnell, Glasgow was Niamh Brown, Niamh Ní Bhaoill represented the Gaeltacht, Lucy Baskin represented the Wild Atlantic Way, Katie Tobin was the London Mary, the New York Mary was Tara Molloy, Olivia Boyce represented Philidephia, winning Mary Ellie Ward wore the Sash for Dungloe, Ciara Hasson first for Ulster and Carragh Ryan, the first Connacht Mary.

Now in its 58th year, The Mary From Dungloe International Arts Festival is a community-based festival. The crowning cabaret at Rosses Community School was presented by Daniel O'Donnell, who has been a long-time host and ambassador of the Mary from Dungloe Festival. To kick off the evening and during the interval, Sara, Jennifer and Joni Laughlin performed a few songs. 

This year's judges are Mary From Dungloe Chairperson, Crona Byrne, daughter of the late Gay Byrne from just outside Naas, Co Kildare, who describes Dungloe as her second home. Alongside her are the first ever Mary From Dungloe, Celine Powell, BBC Weatherman Barra Best, Katie McMahon, the 1995 Mary and Highland Radio’s Greg Hughes. 

Ellie, the newly-crowned Mary, has a busy Monday, including making an appearance at the 63rd Meenacross Agricultural Show. Last year’s winner was Clare O’Donnell, a Letterkenny-native who represented Donegal.