By Peter Anny-Nzekwue

As Miss Ireland, Miss Europe and Miss World Talent she was offered a contract with the prestigious Ford Model Agency New York, USA, but her reply was, “Thanks, but no thanks.” In her Leaving Certificate she got enough points to study medicine, but she chose to train as a teacher. In love, she shattered the general expectation that Ireland's most beautiful girl and a prized asset should coddle their own by nestling Manners Oshafi, black and a Nigerian! In this world Xclusive interview, Peter Anny-Nzekwue goes in search of what makes Emma Waldron go against the norms, why in more ways than one she appears to see life differently (and more positively) from the rest.

You won Miss Ireland 2010. What informed your decision to enter into the competition? Did you go into it with the mindset that you were going to win it or to just give it a try? 
I was actually approached to enter the competition only a few days before the final. I had never imagined myself competing in a beauty pageant but when I was asked to be a contestant for Miss Ireland I decided it would be a fun experience and I didn't think anything more about it. To be honest, I didn't even realize that if I won I would have to go to Miss World. I didn't imagine I'd ever win so I didn't look into the details at all. When I did win I then had nine days before I left for China, so as you can imagine, panic set in.

How did it feel winning the coveted crown? How would you describe the feeling the moment and after you were announced as Miss Ireland 2010? 
I was shocked. It was such an adrenaline rush. When your name is announced, everything happens so quickly it doesn't really resonate with you. TV3 were filming for Xposé so their cameras and lights and those of the press photographers were blinding me. It seemed that there were hundreds of people all congratulating you, wanting to interview you, asking you how you felt and it overwhelms you. You instantly are launched into a whole new world. It was an incredible feeling. I was very humbled having been...