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.

Daithi's hands are full

Daithi with some British Roses c/o Irish Post

Daithi (in the centre with the bow tie) is pictured above with (l-r) Nóra Ní Fhlannagáin (London), Olivia Markantonakis (Derby), Megan Hade (Leicester) and Talitha Orlandi (Sunderland).

Unfortunately for two of the Roses, only two Roses went through. Nóra Ní Fhlannagáin, London Rose 2012 and Talitha Orlandi, Sunderland Rose 2012.

With great thanks to the Irish Post. Visit it here.

Sunderland Lass

Talitha Orlandi c/o Westmeath Examiner

Pictured above is Talitha Orlandi with her parents Bridget and Lino. "Who is Talitha?" I hear you ask. Well, Talitha Orlandi is the Sunderland 2012 Rose.

Picture and article at the Westmeath Examiner.

High Hopes

John O'Shea with Talitha Orlandi c/o Sunderland Echo

It's great to have friends in high places. It's great to have high friends too! Talitha Orlandi is the 2012 Sunderland Rose and she is pictured above with John O'Shea - he of Sunderland, Man. United Republic of Ireland soccer fame

All of this is courtesy of the Sunderland Echo. Talitha is a Mullingar native but lives and studies in Sunderland at present. “I have loved living in Sunderland. The people here are lovely and are just like the Irish. It feels homely to me", she is reported in the paper.

More, more here.

And you find out about Paddywhacks, too.

News from Paddywhacks

Talitha Orlandi c/o Sunderland Echo

It seems that Paddywhacks always hosts the Sunderland Rose, and why not. At this year's extravaganza Talitha Orlandi was chosen as the 2012 Sunderland Rose.

All of this news care of the Sunderland Echo. Get more of this here.

Sunderland, by way of Paddy Whacks

Niamh O'Connell c/o Sunderland Echo

What is Paddy Whacks? It's an Irish bar in Sunderland which organised the Rose of Tralee in that city.

Niamh O'Connell has been chosen as the 2011 Sunderland Rose. She now goes to the regional final in Portlaoise - best of luck Niamh!

We learned all of this from the Sunderland Echo.

Noreen, The Sunderland Rose

Noreen Feeney with the famous Charlie Chawke.

Noreen Feeney is the 2010 Sunderland Rose. The Sunderland Echo brings us up to date with events. Noreen is originally from Armagh and is a clinical hospital pharmacist at Sunderland Royal Hospital.

The Echo reports Noreen as saying "This is something I've always wanted to do since I was a little kid and it's amazing to be given this opportunity".

Her next appointment is in Portlaoise for the regional finals. Read about Noreen at the Sunderland Echo.

Mr D'Arcy

These pictures all feature Ray D'Arcy and the Roses. They come from the Belfast Telegraph, which has a great article on the Festival.

In the first picture,Roses of Tralee from Left Helen Mc Menamin (Sandwell), Una Casey (Coventry), Regina O'Hara (Sunderland), Maeve Gallagher (Liverpool) Candy Murphy (Milton Keynes), Cathrina Mc Guinness (Derby), Leanne Tunney (Channel Islands), Hannah Oguz (Leicester) at the Rose of Tralee

Soccer Stars Support Sunderland

Sunderland football club has many Irish connections. Regina O'Hara has garnered the support of the team as she prepares for the Rose final in Tralee. The Sunderland Echo has more.

Sunderland Selection Night

At last a pic of Regina O'Hara, 2009 Sunderland Rose. She second from the left. Read the Sunderland Echo for more.

Sunderland Picks It's Rose

Regina O'Hara is the 2009 Sunderland Rose. When asked to particiate in the selection night, "Regina jumped at the chance although she didn't expect to win. I've never gone for it before but as little girls we all looked at the TV hoping to be on the Rose of Tralee,' she says. "
The quotation is from a larger article appearing in the Westmeath Examiner.