ROSE OF TRALEE - Boss joked: ‘Don’t come back with the crown’

Stunning new Rose of Tralee Maria Walsh has already captured the hearts of the nation and her adopted home in Philadelphia, but that doesn’t mean everyone is jumping for joy about her success.

Speaking in the picturesque rose garden in the centre of Tralee town hours after a nail-biting finale, t she admitted the sudden career change for the next 12 months may be slightly difficult to explain to her boss.

After leaving to take part in “this crazy Irish contest” (her words not ours, we swear) the 27-year-old’s manager at Philadelphia-based fashion firm Anthropologie gave her his blessing.

The only stipulation to his popular Irish cailín colleague was: “don’t come back with the crown”.

To be fair, it’s technically a tiara.

“I haven’t even turned on my phone,” Maria joked, we think, yesterday when asked about the awkward conversation that may be awaiting her when she returns to the US.

“I’m a little bit fearful but I know he’s going to be so proud and delighted. I’m not gonna lie, when my name was announced I thought ‘oh my boss is going to kill me’. I’ll be back to you on that one, but they’re very supportive,” she laughed.

Certainly, the opportunity to represent Ireland as the 2014 Rose of Tralee will mean she is likely to be in high demand.

The singleton — yes, we were shocked at that too — has already joked that any potential romantic suitors will need to first pass “the mother and father test” before being given a second look, with her Anthropologie managers almost certain to consider imposing a similar lock-down policy on Maria, who has a degree in Journalism and Visual Media from Griffith College.

Ah yes, the parents. Always the hidden story behind any rose success, 62-year-old Vincent and 57-year-old Noreen were still beaming at the thought of their daughter taking home the top prize when speaking to the Irish Examiner yesterday morning.

The proud as punch couple gave an insight into the independence of their daughter, the second youngest of their four children, by explaining the Philadelphia rose team “had been after her for a few years” before she decided to apply for the contest.

Over the next 12 months, Rose of Tralee organisers are likely to benefit from the determination of the US team to convince Maria to take part as she helps to further open up avenues to bring the festival to a new generation of modern, independent-minded and talented women.

As she says herself, it is an issue likely to play a central role in her reign. “I’m not the only short-haired, tattooed or even long-haired, tattooed woman out there.” she said.