Dáithí Ó Sé says a transgender Rose of Tralee contestant would be 'a fantastic thing'

Daíthí believes the Rose of Tralee has already stood the test of time, and is a good indication of the shape of Irish society in 2022. 

Dáithí Ó Sé with the 2022 Roses in Dublin. Picture: Andres Poveda

Dáithí Ó Sé has said he is looking forward to welcoming a transgender Rose of Tralee contestant. 

Speaking at the launch of the 2022 Rose of Tralee International Festival, Ó Sé told RTÉ there was a very positive message sent out this year. 

"Unfortunately, we don't have any trans Roses, I was really looking forward to that chat on stage.

"I suppose it will take people some time to make the decision to go for the competition itself, and I'm really looking forward to that."

Dáithí Ó Sé among the Roses. Picture Andres Poveda

Dáithí said he believes if the Rose of Tralee wants to stay alive, it has to change. 

"To be fair, they've changed all along. There was a time where you couldn't be married, there was a time where you couldn't have a child. There was a time where the age limit was something like 25, then it went up to 27 and I think it's 29 now. They're changing with the times. It's just another positive move.

"You're sending these things into society and saying 'lads, the Rose of Tralee is there for everyone'. And why shouldn't it be there for everyone? We're here to celebrate ourselves, we're celebrating our Irishness, we're celebrating Irish women."

He adds that the Rose of Tralee is about people. 

"Male, female, trans - we're human beings. I want to talk to people on stage, people have their own story to tell, and could you imagine the journey that person would have to tell on stage. Very, very interesting."

"It's about people and it's about their stories and making that connection with people at home.

"If you have a trans Rose, and somebody at home who is watching the show, and this is what's going on in their head, they see a person like them on the Rose of Tralee and they can say 'hang on a second, the road is just a little less bumpy for me now'.

"Isn't that a fantastic thing?"

Rose of Tralee International Festival host Dáithí Ó Sé and this year's Roses on Sandymount Beach in Dublin. Picture: Andres Poveda

Dáithí believes the Rose of Tralee has already stood the test of time, and is a good indication of the shape of Irish society in 2022. 

"Say in 1973, you might have had a lot of teachers and nurses, so on and so forth, but in 2019 we had engineers, we have a Rose of Tralee who is a doctor at the moment - the longest reigning Rose of Tralee in the world over the last three years - and so it's a good sign of what's happening."

He promises the Rose of Tralee will still be on our screens in 100 years. 

The RTÉ Rose of Tralee International Festival will be on RTÉ One on Monday, August 22.