Entrants to this year’s Rose of Tralee have been subjected to “malicious online threats” due to the event’s association with dog racing, according to the Irish Greyhound Board which has pulled its sponsorship of the festival.

The Irish Greyhound Board has ended its relationships with the Rose Of Tralee Festival after alleged threats against competitors.

Outspoken Independents, a celebrity candidate, and a risk that the result could cause a snap general election mean the sprawling Midlands-North West is set for high drama, writes Political Correspondent Fiachra Ó Cionnaith.

Yup, zero, zip, zilch, nil, nada.

It has long been an aspiration of the Rose of Tralee International Festival but having a permanent dome could be in reach with work commencing in the next two years.

San Francisco Rose talks about festival’s role in the healing process.

Gardaí are renewing their appeal for information about 54-year old William Mulvihill, who was last seen on August 21, 2016.

Catch up on some of the stories and issues highlighted on irishexaminer.com this morning.

Ryle Dwyer looks back at the origins of the Rose of Tralee festival and how it captured the public imagination right from the beginning

San Francisco Rose Amanda Donohoe tells Catherine Shanahan that being part of the Rose of Tralee festival has a very special meaning for her and her family.

The managing director of the Rose of Tralee Festival has appealed to local businesses for extra financial support this year blaming the decision by Fáilte Ireland to cut its free street entertainment grant by 50% for the plea.

Latest: A spokesperson for the Rose of Tralee International Festival has said the organisation will not comment on reports that armed gardaí will patrol this year's event.

Fáilte Ireland grant aid for the Rose of Tralee International Festival is being halved in favour of promoting off-peak tourism events.

A post from the Facebook account of the Down Rose, Fainche McCormack, has criticised the Rose of Tralee as well as a documentary by RTÉ on the event.

In a Facebook post, Fainche McCormack alleged that “cameras intrusively followed us all week and asked inappropriate probing questions” with one girl being asked what colour underwear she was wearing right before she went on stage.

A huge response from the public and interested groups has been received in relation to proposals for the redevelopment of a prime site in Kerry’s county town.

Meanwhile in the world of showbiz …

WE didn’t see it as cafe culture then, of course, but if you’re of a certain age and from the greater Tralee area — a narrow focus, I admit, but the scene was repeated in restaurants and hotels in many other regional towns — the name The Allegro Grill will fill you with a warm shot of nostalgia, writes Clodagh Finn

Sheep shearing, footing turf and building stone walls — all essential skills for any fella seeking to accompany a Rose, according to Escort of the Year Shane Kenny.

“Sure hasn’t the whole town gone mad? There was a bus that pulled up there earlier and all the Roses got out and people went crazy for them. They love them, the Roses. They’re being treated like absolute royalty.”

Did you see it?

One of Ireland’s oldest festivals is set to become even bigger, and a week-long affair.

Cork camogie star Anna Geary last night admitted a career change forced her retirement from the game at inter-county level.

The Rose of Tralee Festival will soon have its own headquarters, thanks to the parents of a deceased Rose contestant.

A 21-year-old Dublin man with a large number of convictions has been told he is not to come to Kerry for two years after he admitted stealing an Apple iPhone from a woman’s purse during last year’s Rose of Tralee festival.

Rose of Tralee Festival boss Anthony O’Gara has hit back at "some zealous, angry, if perhaps, misguided social commentators" who regularly castigate the event.

The newly crowned Rose of Tralee Maria Walsh has revealed she is gay.

A man in his 40s was arrested by gardaí yesterday following an alleged sexual assault in the build-up to the Rose of Tralee festival.

Irish-owned wifi company Bitbuzz has seen revenues break the €1m mark in the first half of the year, on the back of strong growth in the last 12 months.

After five days of touring some of the country’s most famous tourist landmarks, this year’s crop of Roses finally planted themselves in the home of the world renowned competition, Tralee.

The 55th Annual Rose of Tralee Festival gets underway in Co Kerry today.

Swinging camogie sticks and threats of Michael Flatley-inspired "dance-offs".

A town best known for its roses will be all in bloom this summer as it strives to win a prestigious EU environment competition.

Highlights includethe return of Anne Doyle, and Simon Reeve's new show on pilgrimages

A street collection in memory of inspirational teenager Donal Walsh during the Rose of Tralee Festival realised €12,500.

BETWEEN a surprise wedding proposal and a heated debate on its attitude towards women, this year’s Rose of Tralee Festival was anything but dull.

The Rose of Tralee festival has said Newbridge cutlery engraved with the O'Sullivan family name displayed during the show is a coincidence.

The Rose of Tralee is often criticised by its detractors for failing to represent modern Ireland.

The Tralee bypass, one of the few major national roads projects to be undertaken since the economic downturn, and the biggest-ever roads project in Kerry, opened shortly after 2pm yesterday, to coincide with the annual Rose of Tralee festival.