Westmeath Rose crowned 2026 Rose of Tralee
A delighted Caoilfhinn Ní Choiligh celebrating after being named the 2026 Rose of Tralee tonight, Tuesday. Picture: Domnick Walsh
Westmeath Rose Caoilfhinn Ní Choiligh has been crowned the new Rose of Tralee on Tuesday night, after moving the Irish public.
Ms Ní Choiligh was crowned on the second election night on Tuesday at the Kerry Sports Academy at MTU.
On Monday night, the Westmeath rose wowed the public as she talked about being diagnosed with alopecia — and tried on her favourite wigs on stage.
”It started coming out in clumps, and then by the time I was about 18, I had to wear a wig," she said.
The crown was passed on by Katelyn Cummins, who was the first-ever Laois Rose to win the competition last year.
She had one piece of advice for the new Rose of Tralee — to enjoy every moment of this “once-in-a-lifetime experience”.
The news come after two selection nights of the Rose of Tralee International Festival, which were aired live on RTÉ and hosted by Dáithí Ó Sé and Kathryn Thomas.
On Monday evening, emotions ran high as 18 of the 32 roses took to the stage.
Among those who stood out was the youngest rose in this year’s contest, Cork Rose Lexi Linnane. She spoke about the support she received from the “whole of the rebel county” and of the pain of losing her mother Tracey in 2023. The public cheered loudly as Westmeath Rose Caoilfhinn Ní Choiligh, who lives with alopecia, tried on her favourite wigs on stage.
This Tuesday, emotions continued to run high as another 14 roses made their stage debut ahead of the big announcement. On stage hair-cutting in aid of charity, doting grandparents and tributes to loved ones taken too soon were some of the highlights of the Rose of Tralee night two.
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On stage hair-cutting in aid of charity, doting grandparents and tributes to loved ones taken too soon were some of the highlights of the Rose of Tralee night two.
Emotions continued to run high on Tuesday, as fourteen more roses made their stage debut in Kerry ahead of the big finale.
On Tuesday night, 14 roses took to the stage at the MTU’s Sports Academy, to chat to Dáithí Ó Sé and Kathryn Thomas.
Waterford Rose
First up was Waterford Rose Cara Comerford, who has a strong Rose of Tralee connection as her grandmother Jean was the Kerry rose in 1967.
The 21-year-old said because of her late nanny, the contest always held a special place in her family. She said her nanny will be “beaming” on her “little cloud for another decade” after seeing her on stage.
A third-year student in biomedical engineering at Munster Technological University in Cork, Cara is completing work placement with Stryker Neurovascular.
Next up was Galway Rose Jodie Kenny, a 23-year-old primary school teacher.
In the audience, her grandfather could not hold back his tears, showing pride for his granddaughter in the form of a brooch pinned to his suit.
Speaking of her grandparents Martin and Theresa, whom she lives with, she said: “The two of them are huge influence in my life, I’m very lucky to have them. Every time I come off the bus, he’s bawling, God love him”.
Jodie took a moment to remember her mother Karen Kenny, nee Faherty, who passed away at the age of 47 after battling breast cancer. Jodie was selected as Galway Rose on her mother’s five year passing.
Next up was Carolina Rose Grace O’Halloran, aged 28, who grew up in Connecticut.
She has always known about the Rose of Tralee, as her aunt was the Toronto Rose in 1979.
After losing her father, and her Irish grandparents, she felt like she was “getting a nudge from heaven to participate” in the contest.
“My dad and I spoke about when we meet again, having a lot of stories to catch up on, and this will definitely be a story,” Grace said.
Toronto Rose Kylie Paliani, aged 28, works in Oakville.
She works as an associate account manager at Smith & Nephew.
Her mother is from Dublin, her grandmother from Clare and her grandfather from Tipperary.
She performed an Irish dance for the public.
Rumour has it her nanny was the last one on the dance floor over the last couple of years. “She is never off the dance floor, she dances maybe more than I do sometimes,” she said.
Presenter Dáithí Ó Sé was not familiar with the hometown of Kilkenny Rose Rachel Walsh, who hails from Threecastles. She studies public relations and media at SETU in Carlow, something that suits her love for storytelling.
She recently went back to college after her previous course didn’t suit her. She said her parents were really supportive of her decision.
“I've learned over time, rejection is redirection. So if it doesn't work out for you, you find your path, you pave your way,” she reminded the audience.
The rose wowed the public as she started to braid her long brunette locks on stage, a move to raise funds for LauraLynn — a charity which provides supportive care services to meet the needs of children with life-limiting conditions.
“I said I wanted to do something special to bring awareness to them and to show what we could do maybe,” she explained.
She admitted she was a little bit nervous as she braided her brunette locks on stage, before directing Dáithí to cut her locks above the elastic band.
Representing her native Kerry, Caoimhe Lynch, aged 28, took the stage next. She currently works in Ballymun as a secondary school chaplain and English teacher.
In 2024, she founded The Light House Project, an organisation which supports communities facing poverty and social challenges. She is currently fundraising to secure a new venue for the project.
A project she could not fund without the “brilliant” Killarney people.
“At Christmas I said I want all the kids in The Lighthouse Project to get a Christmas present, and I sent out a message and put up a post and said, "My car boot will be open if anyone wants to make a present.” Everyone got a present and some got Santa sacks and everything. It was lovely,” she said.
As music also plays a vital role in her life, she also directs The Kingdom Gospel Choir in Killarney, which has over 100 members. With her acoustic guitar, she performed Irish Eyes.
She was followed by the Louth Rose, Chloe Moran, a qualified biomedical scientist who is going into her final year of general nursing.
Chloe left to attend college in Belfast at a young age.
“ I was only 16, so yeah, I just went and left. Got away from my brothers because my house was madness,” she joked.
"I got up and packed my bags and a whole lot.”
Wicklow Rose Carolann McDonald, aged 24, works as a locum pharmacist.
A proud member of the Greystones Baton Twirlers, she had the opportunity to represent Ireland at both European and World competitions.
She gave a quick demonstration with batons alongside host Daithi, before performing a moving dance to Sia’s Angel by the Wings.
San Francisco Rose
San Francisco Rose Sarah Johnston, aged 24, hails from San Mateo, California.
She currently works in her family’s restaurant in San Carlos, Johnston’s Saltbox.
She said her mother is a “proud product” of her Glenullin, Co Derry and Ballydesmond, Co Cork roots.
After studying furniture design, she called out for anyone with a connection in the crowd, who might help her find her next job.
She performed her own take of Piano Man, who never “intended to be a singer” but she now has “32 new sisters and brothers”.
Tipperary Rose
With a long pink train, the Tipperary Rose Fiona Kennedy walked on stage with style. The 25-year-old secondary school teacher in Home Economics and Religious Education teaches in Fethard.
Despite living with the “hidden disease” that is arthritis, the “big adrenaline” junkie does not let her condition get in her way. She recently completed her first half marathon, raising funds for Arthritis Ireland.
Joking about her condition, she said: “If it gets too cold, I can tell a storm’s coming”.
She added she was “one of the lucky ones” as “medication works for me”.
Her father owns a small construction company, and works alongside his girls. In their honour, she competed against Kathryn in a ‘nail-hitting’ competition.
UAE Rose Enya Crone celebrated her birthday while on tour, turning 23.
Born and raised in Dubai to an Irish mum from Donegal and an Australian dad, she She has just completed a BSc (Hons) in Mathematics and Economics at the University of York.
Growing up, she spent every summer in Gweedore, Donegal, with her sister. The pair were the first from the UAE to qualify as the Irish dancing World Championships.
Roscommon Rose
Roscommon Rose Rebecca Collins, aged 24, revealed that her students helped her design the flowers adorning her gorgeous orange gown.
Her sister Jessica wanted to go for the rose, but had a show in Dublin the same night as the selection.
For the contest, she wrote a poem about “not having a talent” titled — revealing how she nearly “didn’t enter” the competition.
Sligo Rose Bethany McLoughlin, who pursued her love for music and is now a member of the Atlantic Wedding Band.
The 29-year-old was joined for her first time in Tralee by her parents and her 10 siblings, paying tribute to the “best family she could ever hope for”.
After saying she “wasn’t sure whether I was going to talk about it or not”, she chatted about her ulcerative colitis diagnosis.
“If something is not right to your body, listen to that and go get a check,” she encouraged.
Despite being left “in bits”, “on the floor sometimes”, she said she does “my best and keep going — and added her condition doesn’t define her.
Last but not least was New York Rose Ciara McGinty, aged 25, who is a first-grade teacher in the Bronx.
She lives in Woodlawn, where she is surrounded by a strong Irish community. Her mother, Elaine, is from Leixlip, Co Kildare.
She is the Vice President of the Kildare Association of New York and a delegate for the United Irish Counties Association of New York.
She performed Dougie MacLean’s song , one about “staying true to your roots”.
