Tag Archives: rose of tralee

Growing up in a twin community straddling two counties has helped a World Dance Championship entrant to take part in Rose of Tralee selection conventions in successive years. Tara Brady, Ballina, will participate in the Tipperary Rose selection in the Anner Hotel on March 24, a week before she will be competing in the World Dance Championships. Last year, Ms Brady (23) participated in the Clare Rose competition following encouragement from her uncle, Eddie O’Gorman, Killaloe. “It was a fabulous experience. I met so many intelligent, brilliant, funny girls. I would probably have never met them only for the Clare Rose because they all came from different backgrounds and age groups,” she said. “I am still in contact with some of those girls today. I would encourage any woman who is thinking about entering the Rose competition to go for it. “You learn a lot about yourself and it is a great confidence builder. The whole emphasis is on the …

The 1968 Clare Rose was one of a bunch of 27 former Rose of Tralee winners who marched in the New York St Patrick’s Parade last Saturday. Clarecastle woman, Eileen Slattery Mostafa teamed up with her sister roses when the 1994 Rose, Muirne Hurley Goode, put out a call on their WhatsApp group. Battling breast cancer at the time, the Limerick woman had a dream to march in the famous parade, and the roses stepped up to the plate to help her realise it. The current Rose of Tralee, New York rose, Róisín Wiley, along with many of the 2023 contestants and escorts also participated in the event. “The seed was sown by our lovely 1994 Rose. She had the idea to live out a life long desire to walk in this special parade on St Patrick’s Day,” Eileen told The Clare Champion this week. “Courageous Muirne sent out the word to her fellow rose sisters. The response was amazing …

THE search to find this year’s Clare Rose of Tralee has begun with the reigning Rose strongly recommending the experience. Current Clare Rose Victoria O’Connell officially launched the search, encouraging others to get involved while fondly remembering her time in the competition and special moments during her reign. She said, “Entering and becoming the Clare Rose has been one of the proudest moments of my life so far, being able to represent my county on a local, national and international base is a fantastic feeling that words just can’t describe.” She continued, “This is not only on a personal growth and confidence level but the friendships I have made for life. “Also the many many reunions and events I have attended over the years with my fellow Roses and Rose Escorts. “From the week in Tralee to the opening of the German Christmas markets in Frankfurt and our planned walking of the St Patrick’s day parade in Fifth Avenue, New …

NEWMARKET’S Sarah McInerney will be representing Ohio in the 2022 Rose of Tralee, which returns after a two-year hiatus on next Monday and Tuesday.  The 30-year-old recently completed her studies in Cleveland, and is now working there in her chosen field of Biomimicry. Speaking to the Champion on Wednesday, Sarah’s mother Denise was looking forward to seeing her daughter being interviewed by Dáithí Ó Sé. “Sure, we’re all excited! We were blackguarding her a while back when she was studying in Cleveland. I said go on and enter it for the craic, we’ll see how you go. She said ‘ah no, no’. Then she did and next thing she said ‘you won’t believe it Mam, I got it’.” Biomimicry is an interdisciplinary practice, which mimics natural strategies to create more sustainable solutions, and Denise says that Sarah is hugely passionate about it. “She was googling Biomimicry here, she wanted to study it, but she could find no college that would …

CLARE’S Rose of Tralee Vickie O’Connell is calmness personified. Even with a whirlwind week of public engagements ahead of her, for the moment, the Kilrush woman is ensconced in her own little bubble, living in the now. But that’s certain to change this week as the 28-year-old joins up with the other Roses for the glam and glitter of the international festival that transforms the town of Tralee and catapults the contestants into the public limelight. Vickie, an administrator for membership and real estate at Trump International in Doonbeg, is relishing all the excitement it will bring and cannot wait to hit the dome stage on Tuesday night. “Since my selection as Clare Rose, I’ve started on a journey, an amazing journey to be honest. I’m going to embrace and enjoy every single minute of it.” The journey commenced last March when Vickie was selected from 28 contestants, a record entry for Clare. This week she has been taking part …

BALLYEA are flying high in the club hurling championship but another Ballyea native, Niamh Kelly, has enjoyed her own taste of success, after being selected as the 2017 Abu Dhabi Rose, destined for the Rose of Tralee festival from August 16 to 22. A farmer’s daughter, Niamh started a nursing degree at University of Limerick in 2009, after which she moved to London, before heading to the Middle East in July 2016. Niamh will be among the 65 Roses from Ireland and Irish communities around the globe who will travel to Kerry for the seven-day festival. “I am a proud Clare woman, who can be found reciting The Banner Roar whenever the opportunity presents itself. My main loves are sports, fashion, travelling the world with my best friends, Irish music and craic and keeping up with my 94-year-old grandad on Skype. “I’m looking forward to representing the Irish community in Abu Dhabi and my family from Clare at the Rose …

Clare Rose Ava O’Mahony will hope to blossom this weekend, when she takes to the stage with 55 other hopefuls from all over the world, looking to securing her place at The Dome for the Rose of Tralee International Festival in August. The 25-year-old Ennis woman, a finance graduate of University of Limerick, will be hoping to clinch one of the 23 places up for grabs in the three consecutive selection nights, hosted by RTÉ presenter Dáithí Ó Sé in The Portlaoise Heritage Hotel, starting this Friday. Ava impressed the judges last month at a county final, hosted by TV3 weatherman Deric Ó hArtagáin. The regional festival highlights will include the official opening in the Civic Plaza on Friday night, the vintage car parade of Roses and their Rose Buds followed by a street party on Saturday and the annual visit to Abbeyleix and Castle Durrow on Sunday. Roses representing 28 counties in Ireland, 13 regions in the United States, Scotland …

THE reigning International Rose of Tralee, Maria Walsh, officially launched the Clare Festivals and Events Guide 2015 in Glór at the weekend. More than 150 events are featured in the new guide, which is produced by the Clare Tourism Forum, with the support of Shannon Airport. The new guide is being made available at visitor attractions, accommodation providers, tourist offices, libraries and council area offices throughout Clare. Thousands of copies of the guide are also being distributed to Limerick City and Galway tourist offices, as well as to various locations throughout the world. Some of the event and festival highlights during the coming weeks include the third annual Concertina Cruinniú in Miltown Malbay (February 13-15), Bunratty Chess Festival (February 18-22), Corofin Traditional (March 2-8), the 54th West Clare Drama Festival in Doonbeg (March 7-16), Killaloe/Ballina St Patrick’s Festival (March 16-17) and the Doolin Writers Weekend (March 27-29). Other highlights for the remainder of 2015 include the Festival of Finn in …