'She really pulled it out of the bag this time' says proud dad of the 2022 Rose of Tralee

Rachel Duffy's father, Eamon, was very proud as he accompanied his daughter in Tralee on Wednesday morning.

Rachel Duffy was named Rose of Tralee 2022 last night. Picture: Domnick Walsh

The family of the newly crowned Rose of Tralee Rachel Duffy were bursting with pride this morning as the 23-year-old became the first Westmeath Rose to win the title.

On Monday night, the new Rose of Tralee spoke about losing her mother Cathy at a young age and in accepting her title as the 2022 Rose, she said she would have loved for her to have been there.

“She has the best seat in the house tonight,” she said tearfully.

As she began to come to terms with her new title, the Drama, Theatre and Performance Studies graduate reunited with her Rose Bud and met some younger fans in Tralee town the morning after her win.

Speaking in the Rose Garden at Tralee Town Park, surrounded by the names of Roses of the past, she admitted it was difficult to talk about losing her mother on stage and in front of so many people.

Her Rose Bud, nine-year-old Fiadh Gallahue from Co Cork is the same age as Rachel was when her mother passed away.

“I would have struggled a lot to talk about my mom growing up and I suppose I never had any friends or anyone I could really connect to in that sense about a parent passing away,” the newly crowned Rose said.

“I was nine when my mom passed away so it’s only when you put into perspective now how young that was – my Rose Bud Fiadh is nine and I look at her and I think to myself: How did I go through that at that age and come so far?” 

Rose of Tralee Rachel Duffy with her Rose Bud, nine-year-old Fiadh Gallahue from Co Cork. Picture: Maeve Lee

“She’s been with me now the last two weeks," she said as she fought back tears.

The newly crowned Rose added that she believes it is so important for people to talk about grief and to be vulnerable “because those thoughts and those feelings have to go somewhere”.

Her father, Eamon was very proud as he accompanied his daughter in Tralee on Wednesday morning.

“I’m proud and I suppose it’s beyond belief. The whole thing is beyond belief and Rachel is a brilliant girl. The youngest in the family, always full of surprises and she has really pulled it out of the bag this time,” he said.

His youngest daughter has been on quite the journey since he first brought her down to Wexford to meet the other 32 Roses but he couldn’t be more delighted for her.

“She’s been great. She’s had ups and downs along the way as you know, her mam passed away when she was nine and she’s really carrying the mantle now. She’s carrying it for Westmeath, she’s carrying it for her parish and she’s carrying it for the Rose of Tralee.” 

Rachel Duffy. Picture: Dominick Walsh

Recalling the moment her name was called out on stage in the new Dome at the Munster Technological University’s Kerry Sports Academy, Rachel said: “I don’t think there’s an actual word to describe the feeling. I think it was Sinéad [Flanagan] who said she felt like she had an out-of-body experience and I kind of thought, that is a good way to put it.

“I just was shaking. I could feel all the girls holding me, I just thought to myself please just don’t let go.” 

As somebody who grew up in a single-parent home and without her mother, the 23-year-old said she always felt like she was lacking that strong female role model in her life and now, she hopes she can be one for other young girls.

“I hope I can do the role justice and if anything, I just want to show young girls that it's not about what you might have or you don’t have, it’s about how you act as a person and how you treat other people. 

Your life experiences, good or bad, they make you a better person.” 

Admittedly she struggled with her confidence growing up and decided to take part in the Rose of Tralee as a way to challenge and push herself.

“Some of the things I’ve done in the last few weeks, if you’d asked me to do them six months ago, I’d have thought no way – I would have melted on the spot,” she said.

As for her plans to start a Master’s in secondary school teaching next week, the past 12 hours have been quite a whirlwind so she hasn’t had much time to think about what is next.

“I will have to just sit down with my family and discuss it and weigh up all my options but I’m not going to panic about it.”