Galway girl Shahira turns down Playboy … for now !

Date Published: 15-May-2012

By Cathy Donohue

A Galway girl who has been asked to pose for Playboy says she is not interested in being photographed nude.

Shahira Barry has been approached by the head of casting in Hugh Hefner’s magazine, Playboy, Sam Rhima to become the first Irish playmate. Ms Barry told the Connacht Sentinel that headlines in a tabloid newspaper during the week were misleading as they implied that she was romantically interested in the magazine magnate.

“I’m definitely not interested in any man older than my mum or older than my granny or granddad would be if they were still alive,” she said.

Playboy executives have invited Shahira to meet with them this month but she is currently trying to arrange the LA trip for later in the year as she has other projects in the pipeline. “I have a couple of other things to do and people to meet in LA as it is anyway so I’d like to be able to kill the two birds with the one stone.”

Shahira has made it very clear that she is not interested in nude shots stating that her ideal job is to sing, dance or act combined with modelling. Contacts she has gained through her modelling work may help open doors for her in the entertainment industry. She is a qualified primary school teacher and believes that having a backup plan is essential if her dream career does not materialise. “I love teaching however it has always been a backup plan coming behind my dreams if they were to fall through and not work out.”

Shahira who is of Irish and Bangladeshi descent has the support of her family. Although Playboy would not be her mother’s first choice for her daughter, for a girl from the west coast of Ireland to be approached by a worldwide brand is a massive opportunity. “It is a huge thing and my family said they will support me either way.”

The story was even picked up by an American website likening Shahira to Kim Kardashian, star of the reality TV show Keeping up with the Kardashians, a comparison she is delighted with. The fact the story spread so quickly has made Shahira realise the power of the internet. “One thing can be passed on and on and next thing I’m either already a playmate or Hugh Hef’s girlfriend in the mind of many.”

Although Shahira is delighted with the publicity and coverage this story has generated including her first radio interview with Galway Bay FM and a possible TV interview in the coming weeks, she remains very down to earth and hasn’t adopted a diva like attitude. To read more about Shahira her official website is www.shahiraonline.com.