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Miss Universe Ireland Fionnghuala O’Reilly opens up about changing her Irish name in the US

Miss Universe Ireland Fionnghuala O’Reilly has opened up about her Irish name, and the issues it presents her when working for US TV.

Fionnghuala splits her time between Dublin and Washington DC, where she works as an Engineers Ireland Ambassador. Her Irish name of course presents no issues while here in Ireland, but in the US she admits people find it difficult to pronounce it, leading it to change it to her nickname ‘fig’ while in America.

Chatting with the Irish Mirror she said: “Our names are spelt in a very Irish way but in America, it was always typically America that we would have these issues”

“People would say, well do you have a shorter name that people can write for you?”

“But I prefer to go by Fionnghuala and I do go by Fionnghuala in Ireland but in America, Fig – especially now that I work in television – most of my friends and people I just meet call me Fig. Otherwise they can’t remember my name,” she continued.

 

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The 28-year-old works as a correspondent on CBS show ‘Mission Unstoppable’, a US show which showcases females working in STEM and the way they are changing the world.

Fionnghuala also explained that she comes from a family of 5, all of whom have unusual names that have a meaning to her mother and father.

“Growing up, my mum, she is black American, and my dad is Irish. I’m one of six, I have five sisters and we all have quite unique names”

“My mum named us all international names because our family was very international.”

While Fionnghuala says her mam was hell-bent on her not having a nickname for much of her life, she says that as she had become older, her nickname ‘Fig’ has come about naturally, and makes life easier for her in some situations. However, she admits that her Irish name is still of great importance to her.

“It is unfortunate and I do wish more people would take the time (to learn it) because I am Fionnghuala in my heart”

“Fig is great, I love it as a nickname, but Fionnghuala, you know deep down that’s who I am.”

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