Irish singer Imelda May stopped halfway through her catwalk appearance at Ireland Fashion Week to ask a bartender for a shot, then knocked it back as the Dublin crowd applauded on Sunday, 11 October. The unexpected moment came during the debut runway presentation of MNÁ, a womenswear label founded by designer Sarah Plunkett-Chadwick.
May, best known for albums including Love Tattoo and 11 Past the Hour, was wearing a backless black velvet gown when she broke from the usual runway routine. The singer joined a cast that included Una Healy, with musicians and models sharing the runway.
The MNÁ presentation took place at The Stapleton in Dublin's Powerscourt Townhouse Centre, with the bar forming part of the catwalk setting. The show presented 'TROY', a collection exploring female strength, identity and reinvention.
Imelda May Stops at the Bar Mid-Catwalk
Before approaching the bartender, May posed in her velvet gown as she made her way through the venue. She also blew kisses towards the crowd and danced during her runway appearance. Then, instead of simply completing a conventional walk, she requested a shot, drank it at the bar and drew applause from the audience.
May was among several musicians who swapped the stage for a fashion presentation that evening. Healy, formerly of The Saturdays, walked in a black satin dress with opaque black tights and paused to pose with a hand on her hip. Singer Róisín O also joined the line-up, giving the event a cast drawn from across Ireland's music scene.
Irish designer Helen Steele stepped onto the runway herself in a leopard-print outfit. Model Thalia Heffernan, actress Ivana Miličević and journalist Stacey Duguid were also among those involved. Guests watched the participants dance, pose and move through the intimate bar setting as the clothes were presented.
Why MNÁ Named Its Debut Collection 'TROY'
MNÁ means 'women' in Irish, and its founder previously co-founded the vintage-inspired fashion brand Queens of Archive. Her new label draws on female identity and Irish heritage, with pieces named after women in music, fashion and history. Its debut runway collection, 'TROY', takes its name from Sinéad O'Connor's song 'Troy' and explores resilience and reinvention through clothing.
The pieces include velvet, black satin and animal-inspired patterns, alongside silhouettes informed by vintage fashion.' In a July 2026 interview, Plunkett-Chadwick said: 'It's for a woman who is fierce and powerful and whose style transcends trends. The designs put that idea into clothes with structured shoulders, dramatic sleeves, and embroidered details.
May also has a more personal connection to the designs. MNÁ sells a separate black velvet mini dress named 'Imelda', finished with gold embroidery and statement bell sleeves. Plunkett-Chadwick has named pieces after Irish women, including May, late musician Dolores O'Riordan and historical figure Grace O'Malley.
Ireland Fashion Week Celebrates Women on the Runway
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Today's Ireland Fashion Week schedule sees Irish Roots and Bold Golf Sportswear showcase their latest collections, as designers and creative talent from across the country come together for one of the biggest weeks in Irish fashion.
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Ireland Fashion Week founder Ashley McDonnell shared highlights of the presentation and wrote: 'A powerful show featuring some of Ireland's most powerful women strutting their stuff.' The MNÁ event was the last runway show in Dublin on the official programme. It took place on the Sunday before the week's final presentation in County Kilkenny.
The six-day event ran from 7 to 12 October, bringing designers to venues including Slane Castle, Dublin City Hall and Trinity College Dublin. This year's programme gave emerging labels space alongside established names, with MNÁ using its show to present 'TROY' to an audience in the capital. May's unexpected stop for a shot turned the venue's bar into part of the runway action.
