26- year- old Niamh Kerrigan was selected as the Birmingham Mary at the recent selection night.
Niamh, who has just taken up a new role with National Highways, will now represent Birmingham at the Mary From Dungloe festival this month.
Niamh grew up in the Sheldon area and gained a masters in urban and regional planning from the university of Birmingham.
She has been working as a stake holder engagement consultant.
Niamh told The Irish World: “It’s been a little bit of a whirlwind really.”
Niamh received the sash from 2023 Birmingham Mary Katie Houston who is actually her friend and gave her the idea to go for it.
“I saw how much fun she was having.
“It looked like so much fun and a great opportunity to meet other girls and just have a really good time so when it came around this year, I dropped Katie a message and she said, ‘Just go for it, it will be the best time ever’.
“It does look absolutely unreal and counting down the days now until I get over there.”
Niamh has grandparents from Tipperary and Mayo and spent her holidays growing up going over to Ireland.
“I’ve always grown up in the Birmingham- Irish scene going to the music events, the parade obviously being the highlight of the year.”
Asked what she is looking forward to about the festival, Niamh said: “There’s two things that I’m really, really looking forward to: Firstly meeting the other Marys from of course all over the world. I think it will be super nice when we all get together for the first time and all the activities we’ll get to do.
“Then secondly the music. My family’s quite a musical family. regularly go to trad sessions that are on in Birmingham so really, really excited to see all the live music, it’s going to be amazing.”
Niamh comes from a family of trad players and herself plays the more classical viola.
She also often supports John Mitchel’s Ladies who she has friends playing for at Pairc nah Eireann.
She herself is also sporty but not on the GAA pitch.
She is a black belt in kick boxing and plans to show this talent to Daniel O’Donnell at the festival.
“That’s what I’m going to be showing Daniel onstage, how to throw a few punches.
“I don’t think many people know that about me, I keep it hidden.”
The Mary From Dungloe Festival takes place 27 July- 5 August.
