Rose Of Tralee 2012 Notes

€10,000 Man

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Thu, 23 Aug 2012 14:55:00 +0000

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.

What did the Luxembourgers ever do for us?

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Thu, 23 Aug 2012 14:48:00 +0000

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

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Thu, 23 Aug 2012 14:42:00 +0000

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

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Wed, 22 Aug 2012 15:02:00 +0000

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

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Wed, 22 Aug 2012 14:33:00 +0000

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!

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Wed, 22 Aug 2012 13:58:00 +0000

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

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Wed, 22 Aug 2012 13:25:00 +0000

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!

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Tue, 21 Aug 2012 22:35:00 +0000

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

First up is Aisling

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Tue, 21 Aug 2012 14:23:00 +0000

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

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Tue, 21 Aug 2012 13:37:00 +0000

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?

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Mon, 20 Aug 2012 13:44:00 +0000

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?

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Mon, 20 Aug 2012 13:16:00 +0000

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

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Mon, 20 Aug 2012 11:46:00 +0000

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

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Mon, 20 Aug 2012 11:32:00 +0000

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

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sun, 19 Aug 2012 11:56:00 +0000

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

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sun, 19 Aug 2012 11:22:00 +0000

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

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

Daithi Writes...

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sun, 19 Aug 2012 11:13:00 +0000

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!

By this shamrock an arrow pointed down towards a pub, Molly’s Island! I made it my business the following day to go in and it seemed to be a nice enough spot but I didn’t spend long there.

Tallinn in Estonia is a beautiful city, one of the nicest I’ve ever seen. You certainly know you’re in Tallinn when you are in the city centre, but right in the middle of all this Estonian culture and heritage is an Irish pub called The Shamrock.

Again all the photos and stuff on the walls would suggest that is was an Irish place, but when you chat to the people behind the bar you can see it’s all down to marketing. Some of the bar staff even speak of ‘the Irish they have in them’ and maybe they were telling the truth. In my opinion if their grandmothers were bitten by an Irish wolfhound they’d have a closer connection with Ireland!

In America the Irish Bars were where the real Irish always hung out. Where new arrivals went to get their first start and this was the same in England and Australia. Where you would go to the news from home; who was dead and who got sent off in the West Kerry final. This has always been the heart of the Irish Community.

Many of the Rose’s at this year’s Rose of Tralee like every other year have come through a selection in association with an Irish Bar; in fact it’s the support for these bars that keeps the funding going. They always know how important the Rose of Tralee is and helps to tie the Irish Community together globally.

The Irish American and Rose of Tralee communities showed their strength this year when the powers that be took Adrienne Hussey, Texas Rose 2010 from us. Both communities came together in sadness and showed what a powerful unit us Irish can be. She will be remembered at this year’s festival by two of her close friends, Philadelphia Rose Beth Spellman and Texas Rose Kelly Gaetano. They are sad and excited to share their stories with us.

The Rose of Tralee is an exciting time for all the Roses, their families and friends. The people of Tralee really get behind it every year. There really is no other festival like it in the world. As the host it’s a big different, very exciting but a lot of work. This is probably one of the busiest weeks in the year. It’s would be very easy to get carried away with the thing, but the 6 hours of live TV puts me in my place. In saying that when they are singing the last chorus my party will be just beginning. For all who came it’s a marathon and not a sprint!

The question everybody always asks me is who is going to win and every year I tell they Tokyo, they always thank me. By the time they realize there has never been a Tokyo Rose they are gone well out the door.

Don’t forget you can watch the show live on RTEplayer at

www.rte.ie at 8pm Irish time Monday, August 20 and Tuesday, August 21"

OK, ask me a question

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sun, 19 Aug 2012 10:50:00 +0000

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.

i. This 25-year-old can change a tyre, flush plasterboard and make a wedding cake.

j. This 24-year-old enjoys spontaneous dancing.

k. This 25-year-old can sail a square-rigged vessel and has learned Kung Fu.

l. This 21-year-old loves pate, chocolate, shoes and banter.

m. This 22-year-old wants to get more young people interested in farming.

n. This 25-year-old knows how to play the saxophone and her ‘likes’ include chocolate, flowers, gardens and open fires.

o. This 22-year-old came second place in Cavan’s Got Talent.

p. This 21-year-old is a Zumba instructor who is a big fan of seafood and Mardi Gras and St Patrick’s Day parades.

q. This 19-year-old has participated in the World Irish Dancing Championships.

r. This 25-year-old has completed a 20-mile obstacle course in mud.

s. This 26-year-old wants to own a coffee shop and visit all the islands off the coast of Ireland.

t. This 26-year-old plays GAA with French, German and Scandinavian women.

u. This 27-year-old wants kids to eat more fruit and vegetables.

v. This 23-year-old is fascinated by the speedy weight-loss of horseracing jockeys.

w. This 18-year-old writes poetry, plays the flute, swims, dances, has taken part in charity fashion shows and used to have her own fashion blog.

x. This 24-year-old was named the Most Charitable Student at her school. Her mother and father also met at the Rose of Tralee festival. Awww.

y. This 24-year-old loves nibbling on cheese and strawberries and has met the Dalai Lama.

z. This 25-year-old has met with Queen Elizabeth II.

aa. This 23-year-old has abseiled the Europa Hotel in Belfast.

bb. This 22-year-old is passionate about the bagpipes.

cc. This 24-year-old is such a clean-freak she set up her own cleaning company.

dd. This 27-year-old has a weakness for chicken, stuffing and mayonnaise sandwiches.

ee. This 23-year-old is an aspiring actress and part-time pub worker.

ff. This 27-year-old travelled outside her country for the first time in April.

And the answers? Here at The Score

Dome Before Rose Ball

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sat, 18 Aug 2012 11:01:00 +0000

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

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Fri, 17 Aug 2012 17:00:00 +0000

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

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Fri, 17 Aug 2012 16:17:00 +0000

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

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Fri, 17 Aug 2012 16:02:00 +0000

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

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Fri, 17 Aug 2012 15:50:00 +0000

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

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Thu, 16 Aug 2012 10:07:00 +0000

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

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Tue, 14 Aug 2012 12:00:00 +0000

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.