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.

Well dressed Rose

Alana Marshall c/o Taranaki Daily News

Alana Marshall dances with the invisible woman? No, not quite. Alana Marshall is both the Taranaki Rose 2012 and the 2012 New Zealand Rose.

And what does the New Zealand Rose bring to the Rose Festival in Ireland? Why, 13 or 14 frocks of course. By the way I didn't say 'frocks' - the blame lies with the Taranaki Daily News.

Read more about Alana's fashion ideas at the Taranaki News.

Ireland's Loss, New Zealand's Gain

Alana Marshall c/o stuff.co.nz

The Irish rugby team were beaten 60-0 this year. This was great news for Alana Marshall, 2012 New Zealand Rose. As part of her fund-raising for her trip to Tralee, people pledged money for every point scored by the All Blacks.

Read it here.

Alana's First appearance

Alana Marshall

The Irish Champion has a great article about the contestants for the New Zealand Rose. All the girls have a picture and a short biography.

Courtesy of the Irish Champion this is Alana's (2012 Taranaki Rose) story;

'Alana was born in 1987 in New Zealand. Both Alana’s parents were New Zealand-born, in New Plymouth and Hamilton.

Her great great grandfather came from Forthill, Co Antrim, while her great great grandmother came from Ennis Co Clare. The family haver been in New Zealand since the early 1860s. Currently Alana is a Recreation and Events Administrator working for the New Plymouth District Council.

She lists her leisure activities as travel, exercising (yoga, tramping, cycling), and reading. She has completed her first 24-hour adventure race, and completed this year’s Oxfam Trailwalker fundraising event. Alana enjoys trying new things and challenging herself.

When younger she played the violin and piano, and, later, the saxophone. Singing is a pastime best shared in a choir or the privacy of her own home.'

To read more go here.

Alana Prepared for Irish Summer

Alana Marshall c/o Taranaki Daily News

More news of Alana Marshall, 2012 Taranaki Rose and 2012 New Zealand Rose, from the Taranaki Daily News. Jo Moir (of that paper) gives us an informative and chatty article about the Taranaki win.

One of Alana's secret weapons in gaining her title was "I convinced myself I wouldn't win but I had four tables, so 40 people, in support," she said. "When they announced I had won they all got up on their chairs and were screaming and clapping. It was an incredible experience and really special to have my 85-year-old granddad there cheering me on as well."

Loads more at the Taranaki Daily News.

So No Britney Then



Alana Marshall c/o Hagen Hopkins nzherald

Alana Marshall, Taranaki 2012 Rose has become the New Zealand 2012 Rose. A report by Celeste Gorrell Anstiss on the website  nzherald gives us her New Zealand view of the Rose of Tralee. 

"They don't aspire to be Britney Spears or anyone like that; they want to be a Rose" is a quotation taken from the article.

Like to know more? Go here.

Taranaki calling, Taranaki calling.....

Hannah Crowley c/o Taranaki Daily News

Hannah Crowley is the Taranaki 2011 Rose. It seems that Hannah is a junior doctor and a great sportsperson. It is also reported in the Taranaki Daily News that Hannah "swears Guinness tastes better in Ireland".

Should be interesting.

Taranaki Daily News

Southland Rose

Louise Thomas c/o Southland Times

Louise Thomas is the latest Rose from Southland - in fact she is the 2011 Southland Rose. The indefatigable Invercargill Irish Society organised the competition. Want more ? Click this.

Christmas cheer for New Zealand Rose

pic c/o Rose of Tralee NZ

Vivienne Lynch was the 2002 New Zealand Rose, and has a nice Rose of Tralee anecdote to relate if she is ever stuck for a word in future.

The Irish Examiner informs us that Vivien was the victim of a robbery in 2010 and all of her memorabilia from her time as a Rose contestant was stolen.

How did the Rose of Tralee Festival (in particular Valerie) help restore Vivien's faith in human kindness?

Read it at the Irish Examiner.

Photos, photos, photos

The good people at the New Zealand Rose site are a very industrious lot. The Rose organisers spare very little when they publicise their activities. By way of email from Bryan Mulligan of the NZ center Rose of Tralee, we learn that they have just published a ton of photographs. The above picture of Elizabeth Sara, the 2010 New Zealand Rose, is just one.

A slideshow of the photos can be seen at http://www.emotif.co.nz/gallery.php?gallery=95 - this is the site of Emotif, the people who own the photos.

You can also go to http://www.roseoftralee.co.nz/2010-slideshow.html which is the New Zealand centre site.

An insider view at a Rose Selection weekend!

Ever wonder what happens at a Rose selection night or weekend? If so, you should head over to Kimbo's Blog-o, a blog written by Kimberley Farthing, from New Zealand - it's also full of great photographs (just like above).

She writes about her experiences at the 2010 weekend selection of the New Zealand Rose at Dunedin.

Go there and read it - very enjoyable!

Elizabeth, Rose of New Zealand

The ever reliable Southland Times brings us up to date with things relating to New Zealand. Elizabeth Sara, the Otago Rose has been crowned the 2010 New Zealand Rose.

It seems Elizabeth is not only coming to Ireland to compete in the International Rose Festival - she will be studying educational psychology in Dublin.

Read more at the Southland Times.

Dunedin Rose Takes New Zealand Title

We have a press release from the New Zealand Rose Site to thank for the news that Elizabeth Sara is the 2010 New Zealand Rose. Elizabeth was representing Otago as their Rose (picture from emotif.co.nz).

As the New Zealand Rose, Elizabeth now travels to the finals in Tralee later in the year. I think she may be understating the case when she says "I definitely don't have a clear idea of what I'm in for, but I've been told I will need a lot of energy and will be rushed off my feet, so I'm looking forward to it all".

A lot of energy, indeed.

click the pic to enlarge

New Zealand prepares to pick it's Rose

click to enlarge

It's not only regional finals in Portlaoise - New Zealand has it's own regional rose competition. In the photograph above we see the New Zealand Rose of Tralee finalists (from left) Ashley Mackenzie-White, Karen Lynch, Kimberley Farthing, Nicole Gourley, 2009 New Zealand Rose of Tralee Lisa Monaghan, Elizabeth Sara, Anna Mills and Laura Young in Invercargill.

This picture is from the Southland Times (again!) and our attention was drawn to the article by the good people at the New Zealand Rose site - Bryan Mulligan in particular.

Taranaki News

The Taranaki Daily News has the following story - I quote in full!

"Taranaki's Rose of Tralee has packed her bags for the opportunity of a lifetime next week as she heads to the deep south to chase her dream.



Anna Rose Mills, a 25-year-old dental hygienist from New Plymouth, heads for Invercargill on Wednesday to pit herself against the other regional winners in the national Rose of Tralee final. The winner there will represent New Zealand at the Festival of Kerry in Ireland in August.


"I've got 16 supporters, some will be coming Thursday, then Friday, and Saturday," Ms Mills said.


She will wear her Taranaki sash from the moment she arrives at New Plymouth airport for her flight – the South Taranaki native took great pride in showing the sash to the young Irish dance pupils on a recent visit to Hawera.


The competition in Southland involves Irish dancing on Thursday, followed by breakfast with the judges and a tour of Invercargill on Friday morning. After this, the entrants will meet Mayor Tim Shadbolt, before attending the Invercargill Irish Society club that evening.

On Saturday they visit Bluff, have their formal interviews with the judges, and then it's on to the big ball that evening, where the winner will be announced. "It's quite intense, but then if you go to Ireland, it's a 10-day festival," Ms Mills said. "Taranaki hasn't won it for 16 years. I think we'll have to change that. I can't wait."


Four Taranaki women have won the national title since the 1970s".

This piece from the Taranki Daily News.

What Really happens in Tralee

Lisa Monaghan was the 2009 New Zealand Rose. The New Zealand Rose Site kept a diary, both photograpic and written, of Lisa's adventures at the International Rose festival in Tralee.

This is a very, very full diary!

So, if you are coming to Tralee as a Rose or are just interested in looking behind the scenes, follow Lisa in Tralee.

More About Nicole

We are grateful to the New Zealand Rose Site for more information about Nicole Gourley, the 2010 Southland Rose. Nicole is really into photography and plys her trade with the Southland Times. She also is finishing a Bachelor of Commerce degree.

Nicole now goes on to compete to be the 2010 New Zealand Rose in June.

Otago - meet Sara

Meet Elizabeth Sara from Otago who will be in the finals on the 2010 New Zealand Rose. I note that one of Elizabeth's interests is tramping. I think if she gets through to the contest in Ireland she will rename 'tramping' to 'hiking' or 'hill - walking' as we call it. A little word in the ear.........

Ashley from Hutt Valley

Ashley MacKenzie-White is the 2010 Hutt Valley Rose. Ashley is one of those Roses with a finger in many pies, so to speak. A quote from the New Zealand Rose site will illustrate - "She lists her principal interests as collecting tea cups, fine art, craft, books and antiques, writing, embroidery & sewing, in particular cross stitch, baking such as experimenting with cupcakes, walks and travel".

This, and more, here.

A Waikato Farthing

Kimberley Farthing is the 2010 Waikato Rose. Waikato in New Zealand as well you know, not the Waikato near Annascaul.

Kimberley has some quirky interests including wedding photography, hip hop dancing and eating steak'n'cheese pies. That must be a Waikato delicacy.

It's on to the New Zealand finals for Kimberley.

All the details here.