Offaly hair salon celebrates prize winning feat at national awards

RITZYS hair salon in Tullamore scooped an incredible five top 10 finishes at the Irish Hairdressers Federation 2026 championships.

A special highlight on a night to remember for Ritzys was the trophy won by Caroleen Creevy Murphy for her third place in the Fantasy Headpiece category.

Caroleen's eyecatching creation was directly inspired by the phoenix of Tullamore, the mythological bird featured on the town's coat of arms which represents Tullamore's historic resurrection after the great hot air balloon fire of 1785.

Ritzys team members Caroleen, Emma Claffey and Charlie Fox also earned top-tier top 10 national rankings in the Hair Up, Salon, Social and Extensions categories.

After the glitzy awards night at the Lyrath Hotel in Kilkenny, Ritzys salon posted on social media: “We are delighted to have brought a trophy home to Tullamore!

“So proud of our team and all the hard work, creativity and talent. What an achievement and a night to remember!”

The Irish Hairdressers Federation (IHF) awards, officially known as the IHF Irish Hairdressing Championships, represent the premier event in the Irish hairdressing calendar. Hosted annually by the IHF, the country's leading representative body for salon owners, the awards celebrate creative talent, technical precision, and professional excellence across Ireland's hair industry.