ELYSHA Brennan, representing Meath, is the 2015 International Rose of Tralee.
RTÉ’s Dáithí Ó Sé announced the result in front of nearly one million television viewers and an audience of 2000 people in the Festival Dome last night.
Elysha (22) from Bettystown, the first Meath Rose to reach the televised stage of the Festival, was presented with her sash and tiara by the 2014 Rose of Tralee, Maria Walsh and Paul Keane, Chairman of Newbridge Silverware, lead sponsors of the Festival.
Elysha, a second year medical student who overcame Hodgkin’s Lymphoma in 2013, said: “Never in my wildest dreams did I imagine that I would be here. It’s been such an incredible experience in my life, one that’s brought me to places and given me feelings that I’ve never experienced. I supposed I’ve experienced the lowest of lows in life and this is just the highest of highs.”
Elysha created a Bucket List after being diagnosed with cancer just before repeating her Leaving Certificate Exams and taking part in the Rose of Tralee was one of the items in the list.
She went to school in Gormanston College, Co Meath where she graduated with a Student of the Year Medal and now she is studying medicine in the Royal College of Surgeons Dublin.
“I adore what I am studying although during exam season I always consider alternative career options, such as joining the circus. I have a keen interest in working with children and am involved with the RCSI Paediatric Society and I hope to work as a Paediatric Oncologist.”
Elysha has volunteered for the Irish Cancer Society and she plans to partake in a volunteer mission with a local parish in Lourdes.
She has been involved with musical theatre from an early age and has a passion for all things song and dance taking part in the Olympia Theatre Dublin Christmas pantomimes and a Michael Jackson tribute show.
In addition to the honour becoming the 2015 Rose of Tralee, Elysha Brennan, has won a prize package that includes a treasure trove of Newbridge Jewellery and Homeware, a €25,000 World Travel Prize sponsored by The Loop at Dublin and Cork Airports and a year’s driving in the new Kia pro_ceed worth €25,000 from Kia and McElligotts of Tralee.
This year’s Rose of Tralee International Festival kicked-off on Friday August 14th and around 200,000 people were in Tralee over the course of the five-day Festival, the highlights of which were a number of concerts, three parades, two fireworks displays and a tandem parachute jump into Tralee Town Park by Maria Walsh.
The Street Carnival in the town centre was complimented by the Dome events that included the sell-out 1000 capacity Rose Ball, two Rose selection nights and The Kerryman Fashion Show which was attended by nearly 1600 people.
The Executive Chairman of the Rose of Tralee International Festival, Anthony O’Gara, thanked the sponsors, the local business community and the dedication of the team of 150 volunteers who worked tirelessly to deliver a top class event to people of all ages.
Planning for a bigger and longer Rose of Tralee Festival in 2016 are well underway and the event, which will feature up to 70 Roses, will run from Wednesday 17th to Tuesday 23rd August.
Applications are now being accepted to become Roses and Rose Escorts in 2016 and full details are available from www.roseoftralee.ie.
