As a Tralee native, I find the annual ‘lovely girls’ show hard to take, but scrapping it would harm more women than it would help, writes Clodagh Finn.

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.

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 preparation for Dublin’s 2016 centenary year St Patrick’s Day parade, a series of workshops took place with young people around Ireland to discuss their hopes for the future. The result is an explosion of colour and imagination as the theme, ‘Imagine if…’, celebrates our national vision for the next 100 years.

Kerry and Donegal are braced for the prospect of €5,000 fines and retrospective bans arising from Sunday’s melee-marred Division 1 game in Austin Stack Park.

How’s Dáithí fixed for another Ice Bucket Challenge? Will one of the escorts pop the question? Or maybe things will take a more modern twist — will it be one of the Roses down on bended knee?

Easter holidays give families the perfect opportunity to get outdoors and take part in some of the many events being run around the country, from egg-hunting to face-painting, says Ed Power.

Yesterday the world celebrated Ireland's patron saint with parades across the county and around the globe.

The 2014 Night of Stars, which takes place on Saturday at Shelbourne Park, promises to deliver in spades.

This week, Kehlan looks at how to acquire a partner for a business, and what should be considered when looking to bring new knowledge to a company.

She knows fessing up to being Tralee’s first gay Rose has caused a "little bit of a scandal" but if her honesty helps even one young person come out, she’ll consider it a job well done.

It was the most nail-biting finale in recent Rose of Tralee history, but the number of people who tuned in to see Tuesday night’s neck- and-neck finish suffered a significant ratings slump.

Most accommodation in Tralee, Co Kerry, for the 2014 Rose festival, which gets under way later this week, has been snapped up.

The Rose of Tralee had its first marriage proposal live on stage tonight.

The build-up to this year’s Rose of Tralee festivities was in full bloom last night at the annual event’s Rose Ball.

UL and Kerry advanced to the quarter-finals of the Waterford Crystal Cup following wins over Waterford and IT Tralee respectively this afternoon.

Like any good Kerryman, when it comes to Tyrone Dáithí Ó Sé sees conspiracy everywhere.

Amid the party atmosphere this week, Rose of Tralee festival-goers are being asked to remember one of their own whose life was cut tragically short earlier this year.

Regular Rose of Tralee viewers are used to unusual sights, with banana songs, breakfast rolls, and a contestant who decapitated Sesame Street’s Bert of Bert and Ernie fame (seriously) all taking the spotlight in recent years.

Revival is the central theme to the weekend events in both rallying and racing.

THE Mayor of Limerick, who launched a scathing attack on the Rose of Tralee festival committee earlier this week, yesterday warned the Tralee organisers they were undermining all future Limerick participation in the event.

THE Mayor of Limerick last night called for a boycott of RTE’s Rose of Tralee coverage over the organiser’s repeated “disgraceful snub” to the third city of the Republic.

A WOMAN’S world was a different place when Alice O’Sullivan was crowned the first Rose of Tralee representing Dublin in 1959.

AN insight into Indian culture is promised with the launch of a new film festival.

CLARE boss Ger O’Loughlin has described the loss of last year’s team captain Brian O’Connell who has emigrated to Australia, as a massive blow ahead of their 2011 campaign.

TRALEE CBS opened their Corn Uí Mhuirí campaign with a comprehensive victory over Pobalscoil Chorca Dhuibhne at Annascaul yesterday.

IT is every greyhound person’s dream to have a runner in the Ladbrokes.com Irish Derby but Galway owner P.J. Fahy is not the typical owner.

Tonight’s McGrath Senior Football Cup clash between Tipperary and University of Limerick, due to be played in Dr Morris Park, Thurles, has been postponed.

The London Rose has taken the crown at this year's Rose of Tralee festival in Co Kerry.

Limerick may not have enjoyed the best of luck at Croke Park last Sunday but greyhounds from the county are performing heroically in the Paddypower.com Irish Derby with both Shaneboy Lee and St Louis Spirit figuring among the top three favourites as we approach the third round of the classic at Shelbourne on Saturday night.

Gardaí in Co Kerry are continuing to question four men this morning in connection with violence related to a family feud in Tralee over the weekend.

Timor Blue is unlikely to race again after sustaining a serious wrist injury in a first bend fall in last weekend’s Kerry Agribusiness Irish St Leger final at Limerick.

LIKE the Rubik’s Cube that took centre stage last night, the secret to the success of the Rose of Tralee is confusing and difficult to solve.

JOSTLING and shuffling like excited schoolboys ahead of a debs night, 31 nervous Rose of Tralee escorts formed a guard-of-honour of sorts to welcome their Roses to the Fels Point Hotel — and many to Tralee for the first time.

Union delegates representing up to 250,000 Irish workers are gathering in Co Kerry today for the start of SIPTU's four-day national conference.

ROSE of Tralee bosses last night judged the festival a roaring success after taking a gamble on switching the spectacular to a new home.

Tralee’s five-day festival got off to a belated start after a bomb scare caused the first race to be delayed by almost 45 minutes.

Waterlogging is threatening next week’s five-day Tralee festival with an inspection called for 4pm on Monday ahead of Tuesday’s opening card.

TOURISM, an important source of employment, has been in the headlines lately, especially over the Shannon controversy. This weekend the Rose of Tralee festival is being held.

ORGANISERS of the Rose of Tralee festival last night hailed the event a roaring success with 150,000 visitors flocking to the Kerry town for the fun.

Thousands of people all over the world will be able to watch this year’s Rose of Tralee contest from Co Kerry live on the internet, it was confirmed today.

Aidan O’Brien’s Fillies’ Mile runner-up Alexandrova has been promoted to clear favouritism for the Vodafone Oaks after a nationwide gamble.

IT’S the alternative to the Rose of Tralee - and right on its doorstep.