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I was hiding behind mega eyelashes & hair extensions but then ditched it – people say my glow-down is ‘breathtaking’

A YOUNG woman has left people with their jaws on the floor after sharing her epic glow-down.

At some point in our life, most of us will change our style – whether it’s wearing less make-upgiving up fake tan for good, or doing the very opposite.

Close-up of a woman with blonde hair and long eyelashes.
tiktok/@georgiemckenzie
One beauty left people stunned with her epic glow-down[/caption]
Woman in a hot air balloon over a valley.
tiktok/@georgiemckenzie
Now, the young woman, who regularly shares lifestyle content on her page, looks absolutely phenomenal, rocking her real brunette hair[/caption]

But while there are plenty of glow-ups and downs shared on TikTok, it will be pretty challenging to find one more epic than Georgie McKenzie’s incredible transformation.

A glow-down, similar to the ”clean girl aesthetic” trend, is rooted in the idea of ”less is more”.

It promotes enhancing natural beauty – rather than covering it up.

With a glow-down, out are the hair extensionsfake nails and mega lashes – and in is learning how to take care of your skin to make it radiant.

Before embarking on her transformation journey, the young woman was sporting mega eyelashes and bleach blonde hair extensions.

Georgie, who works as a flight attendant, has also been getting Botox – however, she told her followers that it’s ”staying”, despite now sporting a more natural look.

Sharing the jaw-dropping makeover online, Georgia said: ”I spent so long covering myself up with blonde hair extensions, massive eyelashes.

”I almost forgot the real me.”

The clip, which has since racked up close to 17k views, also saw Georgie show fellow TikTokers what she had been hiding all these years – and the glow underneath has left people gobsmacked.

Now, the young woman, who regularly shares lifestyle content on her page, looks absolutely phenomenal, rocking her real brunette hair.

In a bid to look more natural, the stunner now also doesn’t hide behind faux lash extensions, which suits her ”much better”, fans said.

Amazed by the makeover, over 30 social media users raced to comments where they all agreed on one thing – she had made the right choice by embracing her natural beauty.

One viewer said: ”You’re so pretty and every other girl on this platform, your beauty is natural and pretty everyone is different in their on way and that makes you the way you are.”

Four ways to give yourself a glowdown

Thick fluffly lashes are out, so is the fake tan and long nails...here's how to have the ultimate glow-down in four steps...

The term “glow-down” refers to a woman removing what once was the most popular beauty choices, for a more natural look.

Eyelash extensions – Thick, bold “Russian lashes” used to be all the rage, but nowadays, girls are opt for subtle, individual eyelash extensions to lengthen what they already have.

Nails – Gone are the long, plastic talons, more women are favouring BIAB or gel manis.

Hair colour – Remember when everyone wanted icy white hair? Not anymore! Millions of women are trying to go back to their roots (literally), and have soft blondes, and warm gold tones added to their hair, in a bid to achieve the “old money blonde” look.

Makeup – Sculpting your face shape through the art of contouring is no more. Ladies are adding freckles and sweeping blush across cheekbones instead.

Another chimed in: ”I love walking out of the house in no make up nowadays.

”Entered my natural “if you don’t like it don’t look” era a while back and I’ve never been happier (and I get a lie in).”

Someone else commented: ”Loved the after much better.”

”BREATHTAKING,” a TikToker was lost for words, as another dubbed the makeover ”a slay”.

Unlock even more award-winning articles as The Sun launches brand new membership programme – Sun Club.

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Max Verstappen SPINS OUT and loses nine places in bizarre safety car incident as Oscar Piastri is given penalty

MAX VERSTAPPEN dramatically SPUN OUT and lost nine places after a bizarre safety car incident causing Oscar Piastri to be given a penalty.

Piastri accelerated and then suddenly slowed down on the back straight causing Verstappen to spin out and drop to P10.

MORE TO FOLLOW

THIS IS A DEVELOPING STORY..

The Sun is your go to destination for the best football, boxing and MMA news, real-life stories, jaw-dropping pictures and must-see video.Like us on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/TheSunFootball and follow us from our main Twitter account at @TheSunFootball.

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Joe Schmidt gives brutal Wallabies reality check ahead of test series against the British and Irish Lions

AUSTRALIA boss Joe Schmidt has delivered a blunt reality check for his side ahead of the test series against the British and Irish Lions.

The Wallabies needed a late try from captain Harry Wilson to edge past Fiji 21-18 in their opening fixture of the year, their only outing before the clashes against Andy Farrell’s side.

Australia's head coach Joe Schmidt watches as players warm-up before the start of the rugby union Test match between Australia and Fiji in Newcastle on July 6, 2025. (Photo by SAEED KHAN / AFP) / --IMAGE RESTRICTED TO EDITORIAL USE - STRICTLY NO COMMERCIAL USE (Photo by SAEED KHAN/AFP via Getty Images)
Australia head coach Joe Schmidt gave a damning verdict about his side after Saturday’s narrow win over Fiji
British and Irish Lions' head coach Andy Farrell reacts before the start of the rugby match between the British and Irish Lions and the NSW Waratahs in Sydney on July 5, 2025. (Photo by Saeed KHAN / AFP) / -- IMAGE RESTRICTED TO EDITORIAL USE - STRICTLY NO COMMERCIAL USE -- (Photo by SAEED KHAN/AFP via Getty Images)
Schmidt’s side face the Lions in two weeks in the first of a three-test series

And the former Ireland and Leinster boss was left in a sombre mood after a lucky escape against the Pacific Islanders.

Despite the game being their first outing since the turn of the year, the New Zealander admitted he expected more from his side.

He said: “We haven’t been together for six months, and to have five trainings and to be seamless would be an expectation I’d hope for rather than believe would immediately happen.

“Now we have another short run to improve on what we saw today.”

Schmidt highlighted several key areas that require urgent attention if they are to pose a serious challenge to the Lions before

He added: “There are probably a myriad of things.

“I don’t think we quite got rewarded for our scrum – I thought it was really good.

“We didn’t get reward for our lineout, but they are things that we are working hard on.

“We got pulled back for two forward passes, that’s a skill execution thing that I think we need to take responsibility for and be more accurate with.

“If you put those four things together, you are already in a much stronger position to at least control the result.”

When the Wallaby boss was further pushed on his confidence ahead of the Lions series, he wasn’t exactly brimming with confidence.

Joe stated: “I’m not really a confidence sort of person, there’s no real confidence, but there is a quiet resolve.”

Meanwhile, the Lions also underwhelmed in a tight clash against the NSW Waratahs in Sydney on Saturday morning.

Scotland centre Huw Jones crossed twice as the tourists were forced to battle hard in grinding past a second-string Tahs side in Sydney.

But it was less than convincing against a side – missing a slew of Australia players – that had lost five of their last six Super Rugby games.

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I stole thousands from hunky one-night stands & faked lung cancer – then bosses found out I was criminal on the run

Collage of Kari Ferrell: author photo holding her book, mugshot, and photo with a man.

SITTING on the bus, Kari Ferrell glanced at her phone and saw her own police mugshot staring back at her.

After committing a series of scams 2,000 miles away, Kari had fled across the country to start a new life in New York where no one knew her – even landing her dream job at a well-known brand.

Portrait of Kari Ferrell.
Kari Ferrell reveals the truth behind her Noughties crime spree that saw her target and rob hipster men
Ria Osborne
Wanted poster for Kari Ferrell; Salt Lake City Police Department.
Kari pictured on Salt Lake City police department’s most-wanted list
Salt Lake City Police Department
Couple embracing at an outdoor event.
Kari with her husband Elliot
Supplied by Kari Ferrell

But despite this big break at trendy culture magazine Vice, Kari had continued her crime spree, stealing money from men she hooked up with and cashing cheques from a stolen cheque book.

It would be that dream job that became her undoing, after a viral blog post written by one of her colleagues, entitled Department Of Oopsies! We Hired A Grifter, exposed her as a fugitive on the most-wanted list of a police force on the other side of the USA, accused of a range of offences.

The 2009 article explained the magazine had discovered its admin assistant had five outstanding warrants for fraud, had been run out of Utah and earned herself the nickname “The Filth”.

Nicknamed ‘The Filth’

The blog sparked an online frenzy in which Kari became one of the world’s first internet-famous memes.

Across the city, people became obsessed with her story, and with finding her.

Public sightings were posted on forums, while former friends and lovers spilled the beans on her scams and lies.

Long before Anna Delvey and The Tinder Swindler, Kari was one of the OG internet-famous fraudsters, and in an exclusive interview with Fabulous, she opens up about finally revealing her side of the story this year in her book, You’ll Never Believe Me: A Life Of Lies, Second Tries, And Things I Should Only Tell My Therapist.

Now married for 13 years to her photographer husband Elliot Esnor, Kari lives in Brooklyn.

She was born in Korea and adopted by her parents, Karen and Terry, who took her to live in Salt Lake City, Utah, where she was raised in the Mormon church.

Consequently, she always felt like an outsider.

Kari, 38, explains: “It’s one of those religions where you’re told as a woman that you need to be married and your husband is going to teach you all of the things that you need to know to be able to go to heaven.

It was a very isolated community and there wasn’t a lot of Asian representation.

“There were scriptures that talked about how, if you weren’t white, you were ‘dark and loathsome’. So, I assumed I was doomed to purgatory.

“I figured: ‘Why am I aspiring to be a perfect Mormon child when they don’t even want me there?’”

I was stealing money from other people to pay the previous ones back – it was like a pyramid scheme

Kari Ferrell

Kari’s parents divorced when she was in her teens.

That’s when she fell in with a rebellious crowd at school and started shoplifting.

The victim of her first “grift” was a boyfriend, 21-year-old Charlie Connors, who she met when she was 18.

“What I did doesn’t make any sense,” Kari admits.

“It was acting without thinking. It was testing the limits. It was an uncontrollable urge to mess up, because I didn’t deserve anything good.”

She persuaded Charlie to cash a $500 cheque she wrote him and give her the money, after telling him her account had been frozen. In fact, her account had been closed weeks earlier because there were no funds in it.

Kari, who was working as a receptionist in a veterinary clinic at the time, knew the cheque would bounce and, when it did a week later, she convinced Charlie the bank was investigating why and that she would pay him back.

Young girl in Alice in Wonderland costume holding a parasol.
Kari, pictured when she was younger, grew up in a mormon community
Kari Ferrell holding her book, "You'll Never Believe Me," in a podcast studio.
Kari posing with the cover of her new book
Supplied by Kari Ferrell

Over the following months, Kari began to swindle other friends and acquaintances using the same ruse.

“My victims were good people who simply wanted to help a pal. And I was still convinced that what I was doing wasn’t wrong, because I fully intended to have the money to pay them back,” she says.

She even used the cash she scammed to buy gifts and treat her friends.

In her book, she writes that she “stole money in the hopes that people wouldn’t forget me.”

She says: “I always told myself I had time to get the money and pay them back, but what ended up happening was that I was stealing money from other people to pay the previous one back – it was like a pyramid scheme.”

Her swindling went next level when her own cheques ran out. and she stole a bag from a lady in a restaurant, using the cheque book she found inside instead.

In early 2008, aged 19, she was eventually reported to police by one of her victims.

She was arrested, held on remand and released, after she persuaded another friend to pay the $1,000 bail.

I was leaving with their cash, while all they were left with were blue balls

Kari Ferrell

Instead of going to trial, Kari ran away to New York that April, where she tried to make a fresh start.

She spent weeks looking for work until, she says: “The little money that I did have ran out. And I basically put myself in the same position again.”

She persuaded friends to cash her stolen cheques, then progressed to stealing from men she met in bars and at gigs.

Her “marks” in New York w­­ere often one-night stands – “white, trust-fund guys” and “ones who had an almost fetishisation of me and other Asians.”

She admits she was still attracted to the men she stole from.

“I still had to have some sort of connection with them,” she says.

“There was no plotting. It was more like – I find that person attractive, now I’m at their apartment and there’s $50 in crumpled bills sitting on their table. I’m going to take that.”

At the time, Kari was living in the up-and-coming Brooklyn district of Williamsburg, where in the Noughties the hipster movement took off.

Men with beards, wearing checked shirts, who obsessed over craft beer, vinyl records and anything retro, became her main targets.

She even had a tattoo on her back that read: “I Love Beards”.

She later described “luring bearded dudes into my web, going home with them, then leaving with their cash, while all they were left with were blue balls.”

It became like a manhunt, like a game for people to try and spot me and then post sightings online

Kari Ferrell

It was during this time that Kari also lied to a friend that she had lung cancer. In the book, she recalls how she became jealous of her female friend’s relationship with a new man, so lied about the illness to gain more of her attention.

“When they eventually broke up, the lung cancer I had lied about went into remission,” she writes.

But her actions were finally about to catch up with her.

In April 2009, Kari landed an assistant role at hipster bible Vice magazine.

Just weeks in, a colleague she’d flirted with decided to Google her name – and spotted her details on Salt Lake City police department’s most-wanted list.

Romance scams red flags

1. They quickly tell you they love you 

From calling you their soulmate to saying “I’ve never felt this way before” after dating for days or a few weeks. 

2. They avoid meeting in person 

If you’ve matched online, they will always have an excuse; working late, family emergencies etc. 

3. They ask for money or gift cards 

Often they say they need help paying for travel, have a sick relative or child, or their bank account is frozen, or purse lost. They may also ask for gift cards, crypto, transfers or money through apps. 

4. Their story doesn’t add up 

From inconsistencies in their background, to grammatical errors and timeline inaccuracies. Check their photos too, if they look too professional or appear in reverse image searches.

5. They want to move the conversation off the dating site 

If they want to talk via email, WhatsApp, G-Chat or another private platform quickly. They might also avoid platforms with scam reporting tools or moderation. 

6. They avoid video calls

From claiming their camera is broken, or in an area with no signal – and when they might do a video call, but it may be short, blurry or clearly fake.

That’s when the magazine outed her to its readers.

“I read the story and I’m like: ‘Oh, boy.’ I realised that I couldn’t keep on running away and doing what I had been doing,” Kari says.

The story caught the public’s imagination, and other articles on her escapades in New York followed.

It included one in The New York Observer, where the author dubbed Kari “The Hipster Grifter”, due to her penchant for trendy, bearded male victims.

Gossip blogs ran obsessive coverage. Interviews with exes and leaked nude photos flooded the internet.

“One from Italy is particularly memorable, referring to me as ‘The Filth’,” Kari recalls.

Her flirty pick-up lines – scrawled on napkins and matchbooks – like: “I want you to massage me, from the inside,” were sold on eBay, and T-shirts with her face appeared online.

“It became like a manhunt, like a game for people to try and spot me and then post sightings of me online. I went into hiding.”

Not all the attention was negative.

“Some people had the attitude of ‘good for her’,” she says, especially those who saw hipsters as self-righteous and humourless.

Initially, she assumed she’d be found and arrested straight away.

But it wasn’t for several weeks, in May 2009, that she was finally taken into custody by the police while she was visiting friends in Philadelphia.

“It was a relief,” she says. “It felt like it was the first step to it being over.”

Screenshot of a VICE article titled "Department of Oopsies! – We Hired a Grifter," showing a blog post about a former employee with a side bar of Booking.com ads.
Vice
Vice wrote an article on hiring Kari[/caption]

Kari pleaded guilty and was handed a suspended one-year sentence and 36 months probation for attempting forgery, and was given a suspended prison term of up to five years and ordered to serve nine months in jail for forgery.

She had already served 132 days, and was released from prison in February 2010.

“After that, I just wanted to fade into obscurity,” she says.

But she struggled to come to terms with what had happened and eventually started therapy, which she says helped her understand her behaviour.

“Being adopted had left a huge hole in my past and, subsequently, my heart. I frequently mourned the relationships I lost, which felt selfish.

Being adopted had left a huge hole in my past and, subsequently, my heart. I frequently mourned the relationships I lost, which felt selfish

Kari Ferrell

“I questioned whether I felt that way because of how I had hurt the other person, or because I had hurt myself.

“We are not good or bad – we’re a mix of all the feelings, and we choose which one is allowed to poke its head above water.”

Even now, Kari still wrestles with the big question of why she did what she did. “I knew what I was doing wasn’t right,” she says.

After her release from jail, Kari met Elliot while on probation in Utah.

He was in the military and staying at the same hotel where she worked as a live-in cook.

She wrote in her book: “I felt supported and loved, and I had a dude – who I didn’t even have to lie to, nor did I want to – who wanted to support and take care of me.”

Kari went on to work in offices and was honest with HR departments about her past, but went by her middle name, Michelle, and kept her colleagues in the dark.

Simon Leviev, the Tinder Swindler, in a patterned blazer.
Instagram
Simon Leviev, aka the Tinder Swindler[/caption]

Other high profile scammers

The “Yahoo Boys” Scams
Estimate losses: Billions of dollars globally
Originating from Nigeria, this group of fraudsters uses fake online identities to lure victims into romantic relationships. Victims are often manipulated into sending money under the pretense of emergencies, travel costs, or gifts.

The Tinder Swindler
Estimated Losses: Over $10 million from multiple women
Simon Leviev (real name Shimon Hayut) posed as the son of a diamond mogul on Tinder, living a lavish lifestyle to gain trust. Once involved romantically, he would claim his life was in danger and ask for money.

The Anna Sorokin Case
Estimated losses: $275,000 stolen
Anna Delvey pretended to be a wealthy German heiress, defrauding friends and businesses in the social circles of NYC. While not a traditional romance scam, she used charm and false identity in personal relationships.

It didn’t always work out, though.

On several occasions, co-workers discovered her true identity and she was forced to leave.

Even after marrying Elliot in 2011 and taking his surname, she couldn’t fully escape her past.

She lasted five years in one role as a digital marketing director, but was let go when clients discovered her criminal history.

Today, Kari runs her own production company, and later this year she’s launching a podcast called The Worst Thing I’ve Ever Done, in which guests share their biggest transgressions. There’s even talk of a TV series based on her life.

Kari has been compared to Anna Delvey – who was jailed for posing as a wealthy heiress to scam New York socialites – and Billy McFarland, who defrauded investors out of $27.4million to fund the doomed Fyre Festival.

Anna Delvey at a panel discussion.
Rex
Anna Delvey was jailed for posing as a wealthy heiress to scam New York socialites[/caption]

“I definitely like to think of myself as being separate from them, because it does not seem that they are very remorseful,” she says, alluding to the fact that Delvey capitalised on her notoriety, even appearing on Dancing With The Stars, while McFarland, post-prison, tried to launch Fyre Festival 2.

Kari notes that her scams totalled around $10,000 and that: “Compared to them, it was minimal.”

She now hopes that by speaking out and owning her past, people will see the real Kari Ferrell – not just The Hipster Grifter.

“I hope most people would consider me a good person,” she says, revealing that the reaction she gets from people is generally positive.

“I’ve always had a weird popularity. There were people online saying these horrible things about me, and you would expect that to translate into the real world, but it doesn’t.”

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This Morning star eyes up main sofa gig, saying ‘I’m always the hardest worker in the room’

A STAR of This Morning has revealed that she is eyeing up the show’s main hosting gig after declaring she’s the “hardest worker” on the programme.

Made in Chelsea star turned influencer and commentator, Ashley James, has been appearing on the ITV daytime show’s debate and newspaper review section for close to two years.

Woman in red dress standing in front of a "This Morning" sign.
Instagram/@ashleylouisejames
A star of This Morning has revealed that she is eyeing up the show’s main hosting gig after declaring she’s the “hardest worker” on the programme[/caption]
Ashley James and her family at Chessington World of Adventures.
Instagram
Ashley James regularly appears on the show[/caption]

The star originally rose to fame for appearing on E4 reality show Made in Chelsea before gaining wider recognition in the Celebrity Big Brother house in 2018.

But since a chance appearance on This Morning, Ashley has gone on to become a fan favourite with viewers and now appears on the show weekly – but she has no plans to stop there.

In an new interview with The Sun, Ashley has revealed that she is hoping to land the main gig sooner rather than later.

The star told us: “I’ve always said that I’m always there when the time comes.

“I would always love to host This Morning.”

Ashley further added: “I kind of follow where my interests are, and it’s got me to where I am today, and I’m always going to work harder than anyone else.

“I just feel really lucky – I first came into the industry in 2012, and I didn’t have any contacts.

“I didn’t know anyone in the industry, and I’ve just tried to like, be myself, and to work hard and hope that people take a chance on me and notice me.

“I feel really lucky just to still be doing it and calling it a job.

“My parents have finally stopped asking me when I’m going to get a real job, and so I feel like I must have convinced them finally that this is a real job.”

Ashley revealed that being a part of the ITV show was a dream come true and she had been manifesting the role since leaving reality TV behind.

The star told us: “In 2020, I said then my dream is This Morning, and I always said that my dream is to be on This Morning.

“When I first quit my job to get into this industry. That was my number one thing.

“I wanted to be on This Morning because it’s a show that I grew up idolizing. It was the goal.

“So I love it and it’s such an amazing team. I love everybody that’s on there, both in front of the camera and and behind the scenes.”

It has already been revealed that former Love Islander turned Loose Women star Olivia Attwood has landed a role hosting on the main sofa for the summer.

Now, Ashley is hoping to follow in her footsteps and has begun her campaign to get the main gig.

Ashley is currently working with Spike Aware UK, and CounterSpike in a campaign to counter the UK spiking epidemic this summer.

Ashley James at the evian 'Mountain Of Youth' VIP Suite at Wimbledon.
Getty
In an new interview with The Sun, Ashley has revealed that she is hoping to land the main gig sooner rather than later[/caption]

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Teenage boy who died after falling from height on holidays remembered as ‘talented and kind’ at funeral mass

A TEENAGE boy who died after falling from a height while on holiday with his parents in Kerry loved the outdoors and was talented and kind, his funeral mass heard today.

Darragh Byrne, from Charleville, Co Cork died when he fell at a lake close to Daingean Uí Chúis in the west Kerry Gaeltacht of Corca Dhuibhne near the Conor Pass on Tuesday afternoon.

Black and white photo of Darragh James Byrne.
Darragh James Byrne sadly passed away earlier this week
RIP.ie
Framed photo of a young man and condolence book.
The 16-year-old’s funeral mass took place today

Today, his devastated parents, James and Siobhan, led the mourners for their beloved son, who was an only child, in a low-key ceremony that was even more poignant and heartbreaking without music.

There was a sense of numbed shock in the packed parish Holy Cross Church in Charleville, with many of his teenage friends, some of them in their Christian Brothers school uniforms, wiping tears from their eyes.

Parish Priest Fr Pat Corkery said: ” Darragh made very good use of his short time on this earth.

“Ever since a very young age, Darragh had a great interest in computers and technology.

“Many an old laptop he patched up. He enjoyed many outdoor pursuits including swimming, cycling and hiking.

“Darragh had a great love for music of many genres. He took up drums at a very early age and had recently begun to teach himself guitar.

“He was a keen reader who loved history and the classics.

“He was a strong believer in wrongs and rights and was deeply concerned about current world affairs.

“He had a deep desire for peace.”

CLOSE FRIEND

Fr Corkery said Darragh’s classmates had gathered at CBS Charleville earlier this week to remember their close friend.

His friends were asked to write down memories that they had of Darragh.

Fr Corkery read out a sample of the notes written about the teenager.

One classmate said that Darragh “liked to get his point of view across” whilst also being “fun in class”.

Another boy said that Darragh “liked the craic and the joke.”

Fr Corkery said loyalty was paramount to Darragh.

He continued: “Darragh always showed great loyalty to his family and friends. Family was very important to Darragh.

“Darragh will be so missed by all who loved him. In many ways Darragh was a typical teenager. But he was also completely unique.

To his parents, Fr Corkery said: “Darragh has gone ahead of you far too soon. But he is waiting for you in eternity.”

EMERGENCY SERVICES THANKED

Fr Corkery said the family asked him to thank doctors, paramedics, gardaí, Dingle and Killarney Mountain Rescue, Shannon Rescue 115, CBS Charleville, family, neighbours and friends for their help since the tragedy struck.

Locals formed long queues to sign the condolence book for Darragh in the church foyer, where his picture was placed next to the condolence book.

A photograph was also on his wicker coffin at the top of the church.

It’s understood Darragh went exploring an area with a waterfall close to Pedlar’s Lake at the beautiful Conor Pass, near Dingle.

When he failed to return, his parents raised the alarm after 3pm, with the emergency services, including 30 members of DingleCoast Guard and the Kerry Mountain Action Team, immediately responding along with the Coast Guard Rescue Helicopter 115, ambulance service and Gardai.

The boy was found close to the bottom of the waterfall and it is believed he may have climbed up to the lake, slipped and plunged to his death.

He was pronounced dead at the scene and his body was taken to University Hospital Kerry for a postmortem examination.

In a post on social media management at his school said Darragh was a “dearly loved student”.

They stated “Darragh was a bright and uplifting presence in our school community — a gentle, kind hearted and considerate young person who radiated warmth and positivity.

“Whether in the classroom, walking our corridors, or spending times with his friends, he left a meaningful and lasting impact.

“His generous nature, intelligence and talent inspired all who knew him.

“Darragh will be missed deeply by his friends, his classmates, and all the staff here at CBS Charleville.

“His absence leaves a space that cannot be filled, and we will remember him with great affection and sorrow.”

They vowed they would keep Darragh’s family in their thoughts and prayers, stating: “Especially his parents James and Siobhan.

“We cannot imagine the depth of their grief, and as a school community, we will walk beside them with care and support in the days, weeks, and months ahead.

“His memory will forever live on in our hearts and hallways.

“Ar dheis Dé go raibh a anam dílis.”

The school opened to allow his classmates to gather and share memories of Darragh.

A book of condolences was also opened onsite. Darragh was known for his love of rock climbing and the outdoors.

He lived on the outskirts of Charleville town, Ballysally.

His body was taken following the Requiem Mass to the Shannon Crematorium for a cremation service.

Read More »

Britain’s last hope in Wimbledon women’s draw Sonay Kartal OUT after huge controversy as rival accuses umpire of bias

SONAY KARTAL bowed out of Wimbledon – amid more Centre Court line-calling controversy.

Kartal, the last British player in the women’s singles and making her Centre Court bow under a roof closed for daylight play for the first time this Championships gave her all in a topsy-turvy roller-coaster of a match against Russia’s Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova.

Sonay Kartal at Wimbledon.
Reuters
Sonay Kartal is out of Wimbledon following defeat on Centre Court[/caption]
Tennis player Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova speaks with the umpire.
Shutterstock Editorial
Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova argues with the chair umpire[/caption]

Despite earning a set point in the opener, the 23-year-old Kartal was eventually out-fit as she lost 7-6 6-3 in a two hours and two minutes.

But the BIG talking point was the latest malfunction of the new automatic line-judging system in operation in SW19 for the first time this year.

Just two days after Emma Raducanu publicly called out the AI judging on the All England Club’s showpiece venue, the last British woman left standing was involved in another bizarre incident.

Kartal’s forehand at game point to Pavluchenkova in the ninth game of the opener was clearly out but there was no call from the electronic officials.

With both players perplexed, German umpire Nico Helwerth halted play for three minutes as TV replays showed the non-call was totally wrong.

Eventually, Helwerth announced: “The electronic system was unable to track the last point”, ordering a replay, which saw Pavlyluchenkova volley wildly and eventually lose serve again.

It was a bizarre moment in a strange match, which saw neither play able to dominate on their serve.

Getting her third break – in those circumstances – could have been the springboard to a victory which would have seen her tournament earnings reach £400,000 – compared to her previous CAREER prize money of £333,000.

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But despite a set point, Kartal was unable to serve out before being swept aside in the tie break.

And while the Brighton belle bounced back from losing her opening service game in the second set she was crucially broken once more at 2-2, a missed forehand starting to put the writing on the wall.

Kartal refused to give up, asking the ultimate question of her opponent as she made the Russian serve out for the victory.

But Pavlyuchenkova, who matched her 2016 feat of reaching the last eight here in SW19,  did not fold. 

Kartal, though, can be proud of her run and she deserved the standing ovation that accompanied her exit..

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Wimbledon champion’s son, 16, follows in his dad’s footsteps by winning first ever match at SW19

A FORMER Wimbledon champion’s son followed in his dad’s footsteps by winning his first match at SW19.

His old man lifted the famous gold trophy in 2002.

Cruz Hewitt of Australia playing a forehand at Wimbledon.
PA
Cruz Hewitt won his first match at Wimbledon in the boys’ singles[/caption]
Cruz Hewitt of Australia celebrating a break point at Wimbledon.
Getty
He came through a comfortable win 6-1 6-2[/caption]

And now the 16-year-old is hoping to do the same.

Lleyton Hewitt, 44, thumped David Nalbandian on Centre Court in the final 23 years ago.

And Cruz Hewitt booked his place in the junior tournament for the first time in 2025.

Sporting a backwards cap just like his dad, the teenager thumped Savva Rybkin 6-1 6-2 in his first-round match at the All England Club on Saturday.

He will face No11 seed Oskari Paldanius from Finland next.

Hewitt Jr – born in December 2008 – is ranked No827 in the world and earned just over £20,000 in career prize money, with the vast majority of that coming this year.

The rising star was handed a qualifying wildcard for the Australian Open men’s singles in January, prompting a shocked reaction from Nick Kyrgios.

The controversial ex-Wimbledon finalist said: “Love ya Cruz but this is wild.”

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But dad Lleyton – who also won the US Open and reached world No1 – defended his son’s opportunity, adding: “It’s a long journey.

“I was excited to watch him play.

“He had a tough draw playing Nikoloz Basilashvili, a former No16 and a guy who played finals at Indian Wells.”

Hewitt Jr lost 6-1 6-4 but did make it to round two of the Australian Open boys’ singles at the same tournament as he practised with world No1 Jannik Sinner, the eventual men’s champion, as Kyrgios again weighed in needlessly.

Cruz then lost in round one at the French Open event.

The kid is yet to make his senior ATP Tour-level debut and is currently building up his ranking by competing on the Challenger and Futures Tours.

Lleyton Hewitt holding the Wimbledon trophy.
News Group Newspapers Ltd
Lleyton Hewitt won Wimbledon in 2002[/caption]
Cruz Hewitt of Australia celebrates winning a tennis match.
Getty
Hewitt Jr was all smiles after his dominant win[/caption]
Cruz Hewitt and Jannick Sinner on a tennis court.
instagram @cruzhewitt
Cruz practised with Jannik Sinner at the Australian Open[/caption]
Lleyton Hewitt and his son watching tennis practice at Wimbledon.
Getty
Cruz is following in his dad’s footsteps[/caption]

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Wimbledon 2025 LIVE RESULTS: Sonay Kartal CRASHES OUT, Cam Norrie in action as Fritz goes THROUGH – latest updates

WIMBLEDON is heading towards the business end at the All England Club – and one of the Brits has sadly been dumped OUT of the competition.

Sonay Kartal kicked off the action on Centre Court against Pavlyuchenkova in the last-16, but went crashing out after losing by straight sets.

In the men’s, Cameron Norrie is taking on Nicolas Jarry for a spot in the quarter-finals.

Reigning champion Carlos Alcaraz wraps up action on Centre Court as he takes on Andrey Rublev.

Taylor Fritz secured his spot in the quarter-finals after Jordan Thompson retired due to a leg injury.

  • Start time: From 11am BST / 6am ET
  • TV channel: BBC One & Two (UK) / ESPN (US)
  • Live stream: BBC iPlayer / ESPN+

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Grace Davison breaks Irish record and bags bronze in 100m freestyle final at European Aquatics Junior Championships

GRACE DAVISON set a new national record as the Ards swimmer claimed bronze in the 100m freestyle final at the European Aquatics Junior Championships.

The 17-year-old also advanced to today’s 200m Individual Medley final in Samorin, Slovakia.

14 April 2025; Grace Davison of Ards reacts after winning the women's 100m freestyle final during day three of the Irish Open Swimming Championships at the National Aquatic Centre on the Sport Ireland Campus in Dublin. Photo by Ramsey Cardy/Sportsfile
Grace Davison of Ards broke the Irish record and claimed bronze at the Europeans in the 100m freestyle
14 April 2025; Grace Davison competes in the women's 100m freestyle final during day three of the Irish Open Swimming Championships at the National Aquatic Centre on the Sport Ireland Campus in Dublin. Photo by Ramsey Cardy/Sportsfile
The 17-year-old also advanced to Monday’s 200m Individual Medley final

Galway teen John Shortt put in another impressive display, qualifying for the 100m backstroke final — his third decider of the week.

In the 100m freestyle final, Davison was fifth turning into the back 50 metres, but the Paris Olympian battled on to touch the wall in 54.80.

And by pipping Britain’s Theodora Taylor by .04 of a second, she retained the European Junior bronze medal she won in Vilnius last year.

She also set a new Irish senior record, beating Danielle Hill’s 2022 time of 54.87.

Despite only having an hour between races, Davison secured a place in today’s 200m IM final as third-fastest qualifier, clocking 2:15.02.

She said: “The last thing my coach Curtis Coulter said to me before going into the call room was, ‘If you knew you’d be walking in here a couple of months ago, you’d be happy’.

“I’ve had a hard year in terms of sickness and not enjoying racing, I knew I hadn’t the training behind me to go into trials and swim well.

“Those who know me know I like to throw in a good performance, so that was hard.

“It’s been an uphill battle from there but I’m so glad I didn’t give up. I now have a medal and I’m in another final.”

On setting a new Irish record, Davison added: “I’m so pleased. I’m 17 and to have an Irish senior record, I’m really proud of myself.”

Davison has also secured qualification times in the 100m freestyle, 200m freestyle and 200m IM for the World Junior Championships in Bucharest next month.

Shortt, meanwhile, will compete in tonight’s 100m backstroke final as second-fastest qualifier after he won his semi with a time of 54.97.

The 18-year-old, who won silver in this event last year, said: “I feel good, it’s exactly what my coach wanted me to do.”

Shortt won bronze in the 200m backstroke final on Friday night.

He added: “I’m just really enjoying my racing.

“The lads gave me a good race, which is exactly what you want.”

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