The remaining ladies through to the RTÉ selection nights will be announced over the weekend.

And after rigorous training, team building exercises, make-up and dance lessons, they are reading.

YEOW!

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.

The style stakes were high at the weekend as fashionistas from across the country vied for pole position and the title of Best Dressed Lady at Killarney Races.

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.

When the Rose of Tralee International Festival was launched in 1959, nobody realised how long it would run for or how much it would mean to so many people, the first ever Rose has said.

The lights are up, the cameras are ready, and the action is waiting to burst onto the streets.

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.

A flame-haired Kiwi whose community fundraised for her airfare to attend Ireland’s biggest festival of foxiness has set her sights on the ‘Queen of the Redheads’ title.

More than 80 hours of free and affordable entertainment for people of all ages are promised at this year’s Rose of Tralee International Festival, from August 15 to 19.

A man has to be tough in order to survive a week at one of the country’s longest-running festivals and prove he was what it takes before being allowed to chaperone elegant young women.

The Rose of Tralee International Festival continues with the first of the live television broadcasts set to get underway at the Festival Dome tonight.

The Rose of Tralee International Festival will get underway in the Kingdom of Kerry today when the 32 Roses arrive in Tralee following a week-long tour of Ireland.

National Heritage Week

THE traditional end-of-summer Irish festival everyone pretends to hate is set to kick off in style this weekend as a host of public events, charity drives and picture perfect pouts are showcased in Kerry over the coming days.

The Rose of Tralee regional selection process begins in Portlaoise today.

The Rose of Tralee international festival kicks off today.

THE search is on for a bunch of budding escorts to tend to the needs of 32 women from Ireland and abroad vying for the coveted Rose of Tralee title.

THE 50th anniversary of the Rose of Tralee International Festival is expected to be the biggest and best to date with more beautiful contestants than ever before.

The countdown to this year’s Rose of Tralee festival begins today when the contestants are officially unveiled.

Tourism Minister John O’Donoghue is to attend the Rose of Tralee international festival today where his niece is among 30 women vying for the title.

The future of the Rose of Tralee International Festival has been secured.

WANTED: single males to escort beautiful females for week of frolics and festivities in cultural heartland of the south-west of Ireland.

ROSE of Tralee Tamara Gervasoni has claimed that shoplifting was a symptom of her eating disorder.