EVERY woman taking part in this week’s Rose of Tralee Regional Festival has a unique story to tell – most of them happy, some sad, others inspirational.
A new chapter of stories will be written into the Rose of Tralee story book when the Roses gather in County Laois for the event from today, Thursday 29th May, to Sunday 1st June.
Rose of Tralee Host Dáithí Ó Sé will interview 60 Roses from Bahrain to Birmingham, Offaly to Oman, Mayo to Melbourne and Toronto to Tyrone, over three nights after which 23 Roses will be chosen to go forward to the International Festival in Tralee next August.
Dáithí Ó Sé, who is looking forward to meeting the Roses, said: “The Rose of Tralee is one of these focal points in Irish communities that draw people together all over the world. The Rose of Tralee is the single biggest thread that ties the whole Irish Diaspora together and that’s one of the reasons why the Rose of Tralee is one of the biggest festivals in the world. There’s no other festival in any other country that ties its Diaspora together quite like the Rose of Tralee.”
Each of the 60 Roses has her own story to tell, yet they are connected by their Irish heritage and they are all outstanding ambassadors who exemplify the true spirit of modern young Irish women.
Fluent Irish speaker, Dáithí Ó Sé might leave the midlands speaking Chinese after he gets to know the Antrim Rose, Caithlin Corrigan and Tipperary Rose, Lauren Walsh – both ladies have studied Mandarin and Chinese.
The Nottingham Rose, Claire Regan was brought up in a family with strong Rose of Tralee connections – her Mum also represented Nottingham as a Rose in 1977 and her Aunt was the 1990 Midlands UK Rose. Claire is an accomplished Irish dancer who has toured for eight years with Lord of the Dance having danced on stage with Michael Flately.
The Abu Dhabi Rose, Patrice McGillicuddy is the sister of the 2009 Kerry Rose, Karen McGillicuddy and their brother Tom was a Rose Escort in Tralee in 2010.
The Rose of Tralee is about celebrating and connecting the global Irish community and the life stories of some of the Roses’ may act as an inspiration to others who may be looking for a spark to light up their own lives.
The Texas Rose, Cyndi Crowell, said she had a turbulent childhood: “Alcoholism and domestic violence tore my family apart. My observation of the behaviour that my father exhibited created motivation and drive for me to be a completely different person than him and having my mother and grandmother as strong, independent influences is a huge part of how I became the person I am today.”
Laois has been home to the Regional Finals of the Rose of Tralee since 2008 thanks mainly to the support of Laois County Council, Laois Tourism and the local hotels and business community.
Throughout the June Bank Holiday weekend in Laois, the Roses will take part in three selection nights at the Portlaoise Heritage Hotel, enjoy an Irish music evening at the Maldron Hotel Portlaoise as well as a vintage Car Parade, funfair, street disco and a visit to the magnificent Castle Durrow.
Roses representing 29 counties in Ireland, 13 regions in the USA, Melbourne, Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Bahrain, Oman, Canada, Luxembourg, Germany, Scotland and seven major cities in England, will all take part in the Regional Festival.
23 Roses will go forward to the Rose of Tralee International Festival where they will be joined in August by Roses from Kerry, Cork, Dublin, Sydney, New Zealand, Darwin, Perth, Queensland and South Australia.
This year’s Rose of Tralee International Festival will take place from 15 to 19 August and Haley O’Sullivan’s successor will be crowned with the Newbridge Silverware Tiara in the Festival Dome on Tuesday 19th August.
For details on all Rose of Tralee events in Portlaoise and Tralee, visit www.roseoftralee.ie or contact the Festival Office on +353-66-7121322.
