Beauty contest winner features on First Dates this week... and she's not the only Cork woman on the show!

A beauty contest winner from Cork, Effy Murphy is among the daters tonight.

Originally of Togher, now of Youghal, Effy, aged 37, featured in The Echo last year after losing ten stone following a gastric sleeve operation.

She was crowned Miss Diamond Ireland in August and will represent Ireland in the international finals in Las Vegas this year.

Tonight, mum-of-three Effy meets traffic manager Paul, aged 40, of Wexford, but will they hit it off?

Also in the episode, Cork woman Maria Barker, aged 27, meets alpha male Dublin insurance salesman Dolapo, aged 29.

Maria is passionate to set an example to all women, to not just ‘settle’ because the clock is said to be ticking.

The screenwriter preaches how life is far too precious to just be with someone for the sake of fitting the criteria of the norm.

First Dates Ireland, RTÉ2, Thursday, 17, 9.30pm