€10,000 Man

The Galway Advertiser brings new of the Escorts - the 2012 Escort of the year is Ballinasloe man Ian Cullinane.

His prize? €10,000 worth of Newbridge Silverware. So the Galway Advertiser says.

More on Ian here.

What did the Luxembourgers ever do for us?

The journal.ie has some facts for us all to digest.

The Rose of Tralee and 7 other things Luxembourg has given us.

Get the answers here.

All happy

pic c/o Irish Times

Pictured above are Nicola McEvoy 2012 Rose of Tralee, with her parents Michael and Mary, from an article in the Irish Times.

It's a great bit of stuff altogether - here is a piece of the article "It would be great, journalistically speaking, to report that on the morning after being crowned the 53rd Rose of Tralee, Luxembourg Rose Nicola McEvoy staggered into the media room at the Carlton Hotel in a crumpled hoodie, swigging from a two-litre bottle of Coke. It would also be great, journalistically speaking, to report that the 26-year-old teacher and I then came to blows over who got to have the last Alka-Seltzer, while Dáithí Ó Sé chanted “Fight! Fight!” and a Rosebud wept".

You surely must read the rest, here at the Irish Times.

Three Kisses, please



Nicola McEvoy c/o Irish Independent

The longest article on the winning 2012 Rose of Tralee, Nicola NcEvoy, is to be found at the Irish Independent (thus far, I should say). We quote ""The one that couldn't stop kissing me on stage last night," according to host Daithi O Se will be giving her three kisses on the cheek to even more people as she begins the year ahead representing the Rose of Tralee festival at home and abroad".

This is the link - Irish Independent.

West Cork Claims 2012 Rose Crown

pic c/o westcorktimes.com

Ah yes, there's always one. Nicola McEvoy (Luxemburg Rose) has been crowned 2012 Rose of Tralee. Luxemburg, as in the the small country. The site westcorktimes.com tells us "Nicola from Kerry Pike, has in fact good West Cork routes from the tourist-Mecca of Kinsale on the sometimes-sunny West Cork coast where her grandparents still live".

Ahh sure why not.

More here.

Nicola- from her bed!

This is the RTE piece about Nicola, 2012 Rose of Tralee - interviewed in her bed on the first day of her reign!

I've just been Hectored



Nicola McEvoy c/o RTE TEN

 

The 2012 Rose Tralee, Nicola McEvoy was up early on the morning following her win. Why? To meet Hector on RTE Radio. You'd want your wits about you when meeting the bould Hector. Just one of Hector's views on the Rose of Tralee; "You can turn up at any function - wedding, Christening, baptism, wake, anything in the country - and just unannounced, gatecrash, walk in the door, and say, 'Howaya, I'm the Rose of Tralee'"

 

Read more of Hector and Nicola (and more pics) at RTE TEN.



Luxembourg douze points!

She did it - 2012 Luxembourg Rose of Tralee Nicola McEvoy is the 2012 Rose of Tralee!

First up is Aisling

Aisling Baker with Daithi c/o westmeath examiner

Someone has to go first, and this year that someone was Aisling Baker 2012 Westmeath Rose. The Westmeath Examiner brings a blow by blow account of Daithi's interview with Aisling.

Get it all here.

From Tiffany's to Tralee

Annmarie Lynch c/o Irish Central

Over at Irish Central they have a glowing report all about Annmarie Lynch, 2012 New York Rose. You might want to remember her name the next time you happen to be shopping in Tiffany's in New York (I know it's a long shot, but give it a go). It appears, according to Irish Central, that Annmarie works in the famous store.

Read more about this interesting lady at Irish Central.

Is there a slideshow?



pic c/o Independent Woman

Independent Woman has a great slideshow of the roses during their peregrinations around Kerry. Pictured above are 2012 Sydney Rose Sophia Fitzgerald and Waterford Rose Lorna Ferncombe.

View the 32 photo - slide at Independent Woman

Where is Stabannon?



Claire Lynch, 2012 Melbourne Rose c/o Dundalk Democrat 

That worthy organ, the Dundalk Democrat, informs that the Melbourne Rose is from County Louth, Stabannon in fact.

All the news about Claire here at  Dundalk Democrat here.

New York, by way of Longford



Annmarie Lynch New York Rose c/o Longford Leader

Yes, the 2012 New York Rose is from Longford. The Longford Leader reports that Annmarie Lynch is having a fantastic festival. For the night itself she has chosen a dress from New York based designer Don O'Neill  - part of his Theia collection. By the way Don is a Kerryman from Ballyheigue. Visit his beautiful website here. Put that in your mouth and smoke it.

Apart from that Annmarie is planning to sing and play 'Dancing in the Dark' by Bruce Springsteen.

Lots more of this at the Longford Leader.

Pied Piper busy in Tralee

pic c/o Irish Times

In the Irish Times photo above we see Aisling Baker, 2012 Westmeath Rose and Talitha Orlandi, 2012 Sunderland Rose. That chap on the end is the Pied Piper.

The article itself is a must read if yuo want to know about the Rose Parade, the visit to the greuhound track and especially if you want to hear the Tralee locals views about the Rose Festival.

Read it here at the Irish Times.

Ronan Crowns Rose

Ronan O'Gara and Tara Talbot, 2011 Rose of Tralee c/o her.ie

This photo comes from her.ie - the website for women, as it says itself. Ronan O'Gara is a Munster and Ireland Rugby player - a legend.

This year Ronan will be placing the crown on the new 2012 Rose. her.ie quote Ronan from an interview with the Irish Sun - "My wife slags me a lot about it but I’d be glued to the Rose of Tralee every year". So now we know.

Rose of Tralee 2012 Slideshow

Aisling Baker, 2012 Westmeath Rose, c/o RTE Fashion

For a beautiful slideshow of all the 2012 Roses, go to RTE Fashion.

Daithi Writes...

From that great website irishcentral.com we hear news from Daithi O'Se. He has written a lenghty article about himself, Rita the missus and Irish Pubs abroad. Sure how could you resist?

Article from irishcentral.com as follows. Don't forget to visit them!

"I’ve been away a bit this summer to places like Portugal where the ‘Irish pub’ seems to be some kind of a tourist attraction.

From the outside you’d say this place looks Irish with a lot of green and tricolours flying high. To be fair they would show all the GAA matches during the summer and have RTÉ television and radio playing in the background. I good bit less Irish than the pub down the road, but still a lot more like the Irish pubs in other places I’ve been in Europe.

As you might remember we were away on honeymoon up around the Baltics, where they too have their share of Irish Pubs. One night when we were on our way back to the ship on the bus the guy sitting behind me who knew I was Irish tapped me on the shoulder and pointed to a green neon shamrock flashing on a wall in the middle of a dangerous looking part of the city, I hear later that it wasn’t the best part to hang out in, but that may not be true either!

OK, ask me a question

Ann-Marie Lynch - New York Rose c/o The Score

The Score has a great quiz all about the 2012 Roses. We reproduce the questions here, but you will need to visit The Score for the answers - nothing is easy in this life!

The picture above is also from The Score - it is part of a slideshow of photos of all the Roses.

Those pesky questions;

a. This 26-year-old was a housekeeper to six priests and worked in the largest sheep abattoir in Australia.

b. This 21-year-old recently adopted a wild mustang and called her Rosie.

c. This 23-year-old will soon begin working as an allocation analyst after graduating with a degree in Economics & International Affairs (Bonus points if you know what an allocation analyst is)

d. This 21-year-old plays ladies football, sings, acts, dances, plays the piano and dabbles in a bit of tag rugby.

e. This 23-year-old can help relieve you of your bad habits and phobias.

f. This 27-year-old once saved a woman from drowning in Portnoo, Donegal.

g. This 27-year-old was an international gymnast and holds the record for the longest handstand at her local gym.

h. This 27-year-old has just taken up running to see why people enjoy it.

Dome Before Rose Ball

The Rose Ball is a very grand occasion. Pictured above are two views of the Dome taken before the Ball itself. There were 80 tables - all full!

Pics are courtesy of Eleanor's Florist, who are a sponsor to the Festival and provide all the floral arrangements. See Eleanor's Florist Facebook or Eleanor's Florist Shop.

Nashville Bound

pic c/o Kildare Nationalist

Rose Megan O'Neill is the 2012 Kildare Rose. Rose graduated from UCD with an honours degree in Psychology. But wait, there's more, Rose also combined teaching piano and singing during her stay at UCD.

According to the Kildare Nationalist, Rose is heading across the pond to the US in september. Not just anywhere in the US, but Music City itself - Nashville.

Read a lot more about multi-talented Rose at the Kildare Nationalist.

Sources of news

Alana Marshall c/o Taranaki Daily News

This report comes by a very circuitous route. Alana Marshall's (2012 New Zealand Rose and 2012 Taranaki Rose) parents are in Ireland to support Alana. David and Nuala are keeping a Rose diary and will be keeping the Taranaki News Daily up to date.

And then it's here and we all know!

Best of luck to Alana.

I wonder if the name Alana is a corruption of the Irish (Gaelic) phrase a leanbh meaning 'child' or 'baby', but usually 'my baby', said in a loving way.

Thank you, Mr. Spring

pic c/o Kilkenny People

The Rose in the pic above is Sarah Doherty, the 2012 South Australia Rose. Here (per the Kilkenny People) Sarah receives her Certificate of Irish Heritage.

What is that Certificate?

Read it here. 

You are now certified

pic c/o Offaly Express

The Offaly Express brings us news from Croke Park. Pictured above is Ann Marie Lynch, 2012 New York Rose being presented with a Certificate of Irish Heritage.

Margaret Rose Keating, 2021 Offaly Rose, also received a Cretificate.

What's it all about?

Visit the Offaly Express.

Canadian Rose is Queen

Avaleigh Eastman c/o West Carleton EMC

Pictured above is Avaleigh Eastman, the 2012 Ottawa Rose. The West Carleton EMC reports that Avaleigh was brought up (reared, raised, you pick it) on a dairy farm in Kinburn. Not only is Avaleigh steeped in agricultural matters but she holds a degree in Social Science, Public Administration & Business and works as a research assistant with the City of Ottawa's Rural Affairs office, is a part-time assistant to an MP. She also works part-time on the family farm.

And, by the way, Avaleigh was the 2010 Queen of the Furrow.

More about this interesting lady at the West Carleton EMC.

I will if you will

pic c/o Broadsheet

In 2004 it was decided that biting down on a rose stem would make a great photo. 2004 compere Ray Darcy and Orla O'Shea (2004 Rose of Tralee) duly oblige. Orla was also the 2004 Kilkenny Rose.

With thanks to Broadsheet.

Von Ryan's Express



pic c/o Broadsheet

The things one does in the name of PR. This is Ryan Tubridy - compere at the 2003 Rose Festival. Ryan is the one wearing a tie.

With thanks to Broadsheet.

Marty, where did it go all wrong?



pic c/o Broadsheet

This is Marty Whelan doing the old Silver Surfer thing in 2001. Yes, he was the compere. Without compare.

With thanks to Broadsheet.

Who, me?

pic c/o Broadsheet

Texas Rose 2012 Kelly Gaetano (of the Gaetanos from Kilmihil) being very coy. Who wouldn't be coy when Daithi proposes? And he already bethrothed to a Rose?

What is the Rose of Tralee All About?

Ever want to nkow more about the Rose of Tralee festival ? The ever excellent Una Mullally of the Irish Times gives us this crash course;

Is this thing still on? Yes. This year, the “selection nights”, or the competition itself, take place on Monday 17th and Tuesday 18th, when one of the 32 contestants will be crowned the Rose of Tralee, winning a sash, a fancy crown and 12 months of globetrotting to represent the brand internationally at various events.

Why was it set up in the first place? As a way of attracting more tourists to Tralee during race week. The original group of business people who established the competition did so on a budget of £750 in 1959. Only women originally from Tralee were allowed to compete. Later the competition was opened to Kerry women, and finally to any women who were Irish by birth or ancestry.

Who was the actual Rose of Tralee? According to the 19th-century love song, she was called Mary: she may or not have been a Catholic maid, Mary O’Connor, whom a local wealthy Protestant William Pembroke Mulchinock fancied.

What about, you know, the whole sexism thing? The Rose of Tralee has somehow miraculously managed to jig around the scornful idea of a beauty contest by emphasising tradition and wholesomeness, and generally choosing a smart and lovely winner your mum likes. So don’t expect to see Pussy Riot win any time soon.

Who’s holding the shoes? Newly married to a Rose himself, Daithí O Sé will return and make mild jokes about no longer being single, and about intercounty rivalry. And he will say “divil”.

Who are the awkward looking lads in debs tuxedos? Those would be the escorts – not those kind of escorts – who compete for the Escort of the Year prize, which is worth €5,000.

Can I make money from this? Maybe. The Dublin Rose Arlene O’Neill and the Mayo Rose Dervla Kenny are currently tied at 3/1 as favourites. Dublin has been the most successful county since the inaugural competition in 1959, with five wins.

I do a mean version of Call Me Maybe on the tin whistle, can I enter? Not if you are or have ever been married, or if you’re an aul’ wan (over 28) or a young wan (under 18). Life is cruel like that.

Read the original here, at the Irish Times.

Unbelievable

Suzanne O'Brien c/o Limerick Leader

It seems incredible, but Limerick has missed out yet again. Five years and no Limerick Rose at thr Rose of Tralee Festival.

Nick Rabbitts of The Limerick Leader gives us a great report about Suzanne O'Brien, 2012 Limerick Rose. It seems that Suzanne fully intends to wear the sash representing Limerick for the coming year.

Here is that report.

Any tips?

photo c/o her.ie and Domnick Walsh/Eye Focus Ltd

Want to know what are the chances (odds!) of your rose winning the overall competition?

Go to her.ie for full facts - although it seems The Dublin and Mayo Roses and ahead of the bunch (sorry about that kinda pun).