Jason McDonald/Amy McGuire/Chrissie O'Farrell Photo Shoot

On Monday, the 30th of May, I made the journey to Killiney Hill in Dalkey to model for a photo shoot with photographer Jason McDonald, MUA Amy McGuire of Peekaboo Make Up Artistry and hairstylist Chrissie O'Farrell.

You may remember that Amy McGuire did my make-up on two separate occasions at the Dublin Festival of Fashion back in October and I also enjoyed a night out with her at the launch of Daddy or Chips in the Good Bits during the same weekend. I had never worked with Jason before but had heard great things about him and had seen some of his amazing work on his facebook page. The shoot was Chrissie's first so well done to her on a great job, too.

The shoot gave me the chance to model a full-length gown from my favourite boutique, which I'm sure you know by now is the Ivory Closet on Shannon Street in Limerick.

Although the weather did prove a little problematic and necessitated a forty-minute hide out in our cars while the torrential rain passed, it really was a fantastic location and Jason, Amy and Chrissie were a pleasure to work with.

Check out the final shots:

Until Next Time,
xxx Sami xxx

My 21st Birthday Party in Pier One

Photo by MunsterImages.ie

On Thursday, the 26th of May at 16:55, I turned twenty-one years of age!

I had hoped to reach my goal of 1,000 fans on my facebook page by that morning. I was absolutely thrilled when I did in fact pass the 1,000 "likes" mark. A huge thank you to everyone who has liked and shared my page to date. 

After I attended the Monster BBQ that evening, it was back to the Pier Hotel for a quick outfit change into a gorgeous, gold sequinned party dress from the Ivory Closet and make-up application by Claire Kelly before heading down to my birthday party in the hotel's bar, Pier One. I had made the decision to have a very small gathering and to keep it quite low-key, but nevertheless the Pier Hotel pulled out all the stops and provided me with an exquisitely decorated party area (remember the amazing venue for my homecoming party? Now you get the idea...) They even had a special cocktail named after me - The Sami Long Island Ice Tea!

Photo by MunsterImages.ie

 I would like to thank everyone who surprised me a wonderful present and all of the guests I invited. I had an awesome evening! Also, a huge thank you to Rich Lynch and the ILoveLimerick.com crew.

Check out the great deal Pier One is currently offering when you book a party for 50+ people with them:

Until Next Time,
xxx Sami xxx

Monster BBQ in aid of the Cliona Ring Foundation

Photo by MunsterImages.ie

On Thursday, the 26th of May, I attended the Limerick Lourdes Charity Cycle Fundraiser which took place in the Limerick Milk Market in aid of the Limerick Lourdes Invalid Fund, Motor Neuron- Limerick and the Cliona Ring Foundation. 

In 2008, a group of people from Limerick and surround came together to organise a charity cycle from Nantes to Lourdes - 800km in total. This year, some of the original cyclists as well as new recruits will once again take on this journey but this time it is in aid of the three charities (which you can find more about here) with the aim of raising approximately €10,000 for each.

The Monster BBQ was one of a number of fundraisers which the Limerick Lourdes Charity Cycle team has organised recently. The event featured great food, music and drink as well as an exhibition of photographs of the 2008 cycle.

Since it was the day of my birthday, I was only able to stay for about an hour before I had to leave for my very own party in Pier One Bar & Restaurant. Nevertheless, the evening saw a great crowd gathering and I imagine that many more guests arrived after I left.

Congratulations to the 12 cyclists and 4 back-up team members who are currently in Bordeaux and who only have two days of the cycle left. You can keep up to date with their journey via their facebook page here.

Until Next Time,
xxx Sami xxx

"This is Limerick"

Photo by Dolf Patijn.

On Saturday, the 21st of May, I travelled back to Limerick from Dublin to attend "This is Limerick" - the networking event by www.ILoveLimerick.com which took place in the Georgian House. The Georgian House & Garden was restored by the Limerick Civic Trust during the period of 1996-1999. www.ILoveLimerick.com is dedicated to highlighting the positive about Limerick and the afternoon certainly did exactly just that.

En route, I stopped by the Ivory Closet to pick up a dress to wear to the event. I wasn't the only one - almost every where you looked, you could see one of the boutique's gorgeous dresses.

Photo by MunsterImages.ie

The invite-only event was designed to encourage the organisations of Limerick to come together and work together as well as celebrating the ordinary people who do extraordinary things for their communities. Representatives from Special Olympics, Friends of the Elderly, the Parkinson’s Association Mid-West, the MS Society, the Northside Learning Hub, Polish Youth, Doras Luimní, Pieta House Mid-West, Limerick Youth Service, Insight Magazine, Limerick Regeneration, St Munchin’s Area Centre, PAUL Partnership, Southill Area Centre, Limerick Communications Office, Red Ribbon Project and Creative Limerick were all present. I was there on behalf of the Cliona Ring Foundation along with Tom Tierney, a trustee of the Foundation and the gentleman who played the role of MC at the Fourth Annual Cliona Ring Foundation Commemorative Night.

Photo by MunsterImages.ie

Key speakers included Maria Byrne, Mayor of Limerick and Senator David Norris, who I was absolutely delighted to meet. The ILoveLimerick crew was there of course to capture the day and representatives from the various organisations were invited to speak about their own. Flawless School of Dance also performed.

Photo by MunsterImages.ie

For more information on the afternoon, check out the Limerick Leader Article here or watch the www.ILoveLimerick.com feature here and see Tom talking about the Cliona Ring Foundation at 22:37:

Until Next Time,
Sami Long
Miss UN Ireland 2010
Miss UN Europe 2010

Dublin Zombie Walk Photo Shoot

Photo by Ian Keegan

"Look dead, the Zombies are coming!" Or at least they will be on the 23rd of July...

I recently wrote a blog post about Dublin Zombie Walk 2011, an upcoming event which I am very excited to be involved in. In that entry, I mentioned an upcoming promotional photo call and shoot.

The Dublin Zombie Walk is a fundraiser which was first brought about in 2010 in order to raise money for the Irish Cancer Society and the RNLI. The Irish Cancer Society works towards providing world-class prevention and treatment of cancer in Ireland. The RNLI saves lives at sea and in the last 150 years, has been responsible for saving over 139,000 lives. Needless to say, these are very worthwhile charities which make an incredible difference to many peoples' lives each year. 

So on Friday, the 20th of May, I could be found on Temple Bar's Upper Exchange Street being carried around by giant Zombies while all dressed up in my sash, Carol Shaw Jewellery-commissioned crown and hair and make-up perfectly done by The Salon Hair & Beauty, IFSC. All the while, a sunflower was trying to save me. Photographers Ian Keegan and Shay Murphy were there to capture the terror on my face as I attempted to flee the scene.

Photo by Shay Murphy

Once I was finished being harassed by the giant zombies and the plant had successfully saved me, it was off to get zombified in the collective arts centre, Exchange Dublin. CosmAddict Make-Up Artist Sara Kelly and Terri Pinnell were on hand to transform approximately twenty-five volunteers, my friend Rachel (Miss Sunday World 2010), Adam and I into the disintegrating, brain-craving undead. WildCat Ink was also kind enough to donate contact lenses to complete the look.

Finally, it was time for the shoot and we shuffled our way to the crypt of Christ Church Cathedral... Check out the results below: 

Photo by Shay Murphy

Photo by Ian Keegan

Photo by Ian Keegan

Photo by Ian Keegan

Until Next Time,
Sami Long
Miss UN Ireland 2010
Miss UN Europe 2010