From pageant queen to Best Dressed Lady: Meet Ireland's most glamorous Garda

Dublin-based Garda Ciara Murphy (29) took home the title of the Carton House Best Dressed Lady and a voucher of €8,000 for the luxury hotel.

The competition was judged by model turned TV star Vogue Williams and milliner Jennifer Wrynne, who was crowned Best Dressed at Cheltenham last month.

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The Store Street Garda opted for a high street ensemble, comprising of a Miss Selfridge top, Monsoon jacket and borrowing the high waisted white pencil skirt from a friend. She opted only for a couture headpiece, designed by Irish milliner Fiona Rafter.

"It's nice swapping the navy slacks for a pencil skirt," she said. "I am looking forward to taking my husband Mark to Carton House for a holiday. He's been working hard so I want to spoil him rotten."

Murphy also placed at Leopardstown Races at Christmas, saying she loves sporting high street brands during the racing style wars.

It's clear that Murphy was made for the style spotlight as she also won the Face of Ireland modelling competition in 2011.

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The Dunboyne, Co Meath native, who has been working as a garda for seven years,

Murphy, nee Quinn, is married to fellow Garda Mark Murphy and said before that her colleages were thrilled for her modelling win before.

"Everyone has a stereotype of female guards, but things have totally changed now -- there are more women in my unit than men and any one of my colleagues would be able to walk into the industry," she told The Herald in 2011.

"I kept it quiet at first because I wasn't sure how it would go down - I expected some slagging, but they're all thrilled for me.

"Everyone has been so supportive, but no-one is treating me differently -- you're just one of the lads at the end of the day."