Kildare-raised ex Rose of Tralee buys dresses in charity shops

A Laois charity shop’s wedding department has won the celebrity seal of approval by the former Rose of Tralee who is engaged to Ryan Tubridy.

Clinical psychologist Clare Kambamettu paid an exclusive visit to the bridal floor of Vincent’s shop in Portlaoise this week, to try on wedding gowns for her big day.

Clare was born in Leeds in 1984, but at the age of eight years old moved to Athy where her mother Breda is from.

The green conscious lady has also appeared on our TV screens when she presented RTÉ’s environmental programme, Eco Eye.

Clare told the Leinster Express / Laois Live: “I’ve bought second hand clothes for years – my pal Sarah Kate Byrne from Tullow (now living in London and working as a very successful stylist using mostly vintage fashion) helped me to put together my wardrobe for Tralee in 2010 using our local charity shops in London and ever since I’ve continued the habit.

“I try to reduce my environmental footprint where I can and buying a wedding dress definitely feels like a good opportunity to do that, there’s tonnes of second hand wedding dresses out there that are just gorgeous and I’m only going to wear it once.

“I think now more than ever the charities around Ireland, particularly SvP are doing so much to support vulnerable people, buying second hand is a wonderful way to give something back.

“I didnt find my wedding dress in VdP Portlaoise but I did find a couple of fab dresses which I’ll be wearing in Tralee this year,” Clare said.

She is a judge at the Rose of Tralee this August, where 2025 Laois Rose Katelyn Cummins is hoping to bring the title home for the first time.

“The set up in the shop is fabulous, the two Mary’s couldn’t have been more helpful and their selection of stock is great. They’ve a huge dressing room and you have the place to yourself to try things on,” Clare added.

She even gets her preloved items altered in Portlaoise, bring them to Diana in the Dressmakers Wardrobe on Main Street.

“I bring any second hand pieces that I get in charity shops into her and she makes me feel like they’ve been made just for me, shes a wonder,” she recommends.

Mary Ryan manager at Vincent’s spearheaded their recently opened luxurious bridal department, see its official opening here.

Vincent’s Portlaoise manager Mary Ryan with one of the gowns on sale in their wedding department, from as little as €100.

“Clare is a regular customer to our shop. She booked an appointment to try on wedding dresses, I didn’t recognise her at first, we were just chatting away. One of the girls who volunteers with us copped her because she is a big fan of the Rose of Tralee.

“She was lovely, so down to earth. We were all so excited, we’re still buzzing,” Mary said.

Read also: Portlaoise getting most of new Laois electric car chargers

SVP Vincent’s Portlaoise located at 1, Dublin Road, R32KN28, is open Monday to Saturday, call 057 8660486. The shop also has a furniture department, with parking available to the rear and in the church carpark next door.

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