Rose of Tralee - Viewers are real judges

The Rose of Tralee returned to our television screens last night with a new compere, Dáithi O Sé, the tenth host since the competition began 51 years ago.

The contest was one of the first to recognise the importance of retaining our links with the Irish diaspora. Young women of Irish ancestry will be taking part from around the world.

If the past is anything to go by, the critics will lacerate both the programme and the compere. Gay Byrne, who hosted it for more than 20 years, could only remember one good review in all the years, but each programme attracted one the highest ratings of any television programme produced by RTÉ that year.

The programme had its own appeal because it was neither a beauty contest, nor a talent show. The winner could be anybody’s daughter, sister, niece, or neighbour. That certain imponderable that the judges are looking for is typified by the line, “twas not her beauty alone that won me”.

Whether Dáithi O Sé is a success will not be determined by the critics or the reviewers, but by the viewing audience. The ratings will be the ultimate verdict of the programme that the critics love to hate.