Sarah Jane Dunne, a contestant in this year's Miss Ireland, has been talking about what REALLY went on behind the scenes of the beauty pageant this year, and while we don’t like to buy in to the stereotypes about women, we can’t say we’re surprised!

Sarah Jane admitted: “You do get a little bitchiness behind the scenes, but that’s natural when there are 34 girls in a room.”

Thirty-four girls in a room who are all competing for the same prize, may we add. Things are bound to get a bit tense! However, the winner said that this didn’t stop her from making really good friends, and when she got exposure for being a Traveller, she could depend on the girls for support:

“I’ve made friends for life at pageants, I got on really well with all the girls, especially at Miss University Ireland and Miss Ireland.

“When I got so much exposure for being a Traveller, the girls were really supportive.

“I was a bit conscious of getting media attention. At the back of my mind I felt a bit guarded because I didn’t want to be made a spectacle of, which you would see happen an awful lot with the media and Travellers.

“I didn’t want to be made out to be some sort of Big Fat Gypsy like character. It can be so easy for people to twist what you say and make you out to be something you’re not.”

We’re glad to see that when it boils down to it, us girls are there for our friends – competition or no competition!