STUNNING Miss Ireland Sinead Noonan came face-to-face with the latest shark arrivals at Ireland's National Sealife Centre last week.

An accomplished swimmer, Sinead donned snorkel, mask and tropical-styled bikini before diving into the popular marine zoo's Deep-Sea Tropical Tank to get upclose to the Centre's newly-arrived pair of Bonnethead Sharks. The beauty also swam with other beasts of the deep, including Black Tip Reef Sharks, Epaulette Sharks and Leopard Sharks.

Located on Bray Seafront, Co. Wicklow, the National Sealife Centre is the only aquarium on Ireland's entire East Coast, and is one of the country's largest marine and freshwater zoos. The Centre cares for the largest selection of tropical and native shark life in Ireland, and actively promotes friendly co-existence between human and shark life.

National Sealife Centre also operates a native shark breeding programme and is home to Ireland's only dedicated shark nursery. Many of the sharks that swam with Sinead Noonan this morning were nurtured from the nursery to the deep by the Centre's Director Pat O'Suilleabhain and a team of expert marine biologists.

For more information call (01) 2866939 or go to www.sealife.ie

- Mary FOGARTY