The real roses are the women who live in Tralee

I LOVE this time of year because, for one short week, the light of international attention shines on Tralee, the too often forgotten county town in Kerry.
I also hate this time of year for the very same reason. I’m already cringing ahead of the TV spectacle that was so pointedly labelled “the Kate Middleton impersonation competition” by Brianna Parkins, last year’s Sydney Rose.