Rose of Tralee is many a splendored thing

Bill Linnane hails the wonders and the blunders of the inimitable Kerry show

Is there anyone who doesn’t love the Rose of Tralee? The answer, obviously, is a resounding yes — there are many, many people who do not like the Rose of Tralee.

There are many reasons why this is so — it is seen as an anachronism, a throwback to the 1950s era that spawned it, when Church and State worked hand in hand to create an atmosphere akin to The Handmaid’s Tale.