#Rose of Tralee

All the news from one of Kerry's most beloved festivals

A COMPREHENSIVE SERIES OF ARTICLES ON THIS TOPIC

The real threat to the Rose of Tralee isn’t its age — it’s the online abuse
S The real threat to the Rose of Tralee isn’t its age — it’s the online abuse
Former Rose Kirsten Mate Maher says online abuse risks deterring diverse contestants as Tralee prepares for its biggest week

Sun, 16 Aug, 2026

Winner of 2018 Rose of Tralee would not enter competition now due to level of racist sentiment in society
Winner of 2018 Rose of Tralee would not enter competition now due to level of racist sentiment in society
This year’s Rose of Tralee selection will take place on Tuesday night after two nights of televised interviews with Dáithí Ó Sé and Kathryn Thomas

Fri, 14 Aug, 2026

Rose of Tralee Launch
Letters to the Editor: Racist abuse ignores our long history
Few of the many Rose of Tralee contestants from outside Ireland have been subjected to the racist abuse directed at Irish-born Dublin Rose Suad Mooge

Fri, 14 Aug, 2026

Frightening to see how clever the far-right reaction to the picking of the Dublin Rose is
S Frightening to see how clever the far-right reaction to the picking of the Dublin Rose is
Suad Mooge represents a new kind of Rose for a new kind of Ireland — and a threat to the far right revisionists who want to drag us back to the past

Mon, 11 May, 2026

Case alleging shareholder oppression in Rose of Tralee firm may not go ahead due to death
Case alleging shareholder oppression in Rose of Tralee firm may not go ahead due to death
US-based businessman Richard Henggeler, a 31.1% shareholder in the Kerry Rose Festival Ltd, died earlier this month.

Tue, 28 Oct, 2025

Jennifer Horgan: The teachers of Tralee has a certain ring to it
Jennifer Horgan: The teachers of Tralee has a certain ring to it
The Rose of Tralee may be outdated, even offensive, but it does offer a dozen female teachers the most praise they’re ever likely to get in Ireland, writes Jennifer Horgan

Fri, 22 Aug, 2025

How a Limerick designer went from making 'avant garde' covid masks to creating a Rose of Tralee dress
How a Limerick designer went from making 'avant garde' covid masks to creating a Rose of Tralee dress
In October, Mary O’Sullivan will be one of the nine designers showcasing her work at Ireland Fashion Week, as part of the Irish Roots show

Thu, 21 Aug, 2025

'We don't need to follow tradition': Katelyn Cummins champions women in trades after Rose of Tralee win
'We don't need to follow tradition': Katelyn Cummins champions women in trades after Rose of Tralee win
Katelyn Cummins, a 20-year-old apprentice electrician from Laois, became the first woman from the county to win the Rose of Tralee

Wed, 20 Aug, 2025

'Raring to get back to work': Apprentice electrician Katelyn Cummins wins Rose of Tralee crown
'Raring to get back to work': Apprentice electrician Katelyn Cummins wins Rose of Tralee crown
Katelyn Cummins, a 20-year-old apprentice electrician from Laois, says she will balance her career with her new Rose of Tralee duties.

Tue, 19 Aug, 2025

Rose of Tralee Night Two: 'We need festivals to celebrate women. We need these spaces'
Rose of Tralee Night Two: 'We need festivals to celebrate women. We need these spaces'
Just when the Rose of Tralee appeared to have finally shed its image of a Father Ted parody centred around a fictional Lovely Girls competition, RTÉ’s Kathryn Thomas revived it all over again.

Tue, 19 Aug, 2025

Rose of Tralee: Emotional tributes, standout performances and favourites emerge on night one
Rose of Tralee: Emotional tributes, standout performances and favourites emerge on night one
From Irish dancing ovations to emotional tributes, the first Rose of Tralee selection night delivered standout performances and surprises

Mon, 18 Aug, 2025

Who is Nancy Lehane? Meet the Cork Rose tipped for Rose of Tralee success
Who is Nancy Lehane? Meet the Cork Rose tipped for Rose of Tralee success
Cork Rose Nancy Lehane, once a yearly viewer of the festival, now finds herself centre stage in Tralee

Mon, 18 Aug, 2025

Rose of Tralee co-host Dáithí Ó Sé: 'I can’t wait. It’s going to be something special'
Rose of Tralee co-host Dáithí Ó Sé: 'I can’t wait. It’s going to be something special'
2025 festival launched as former Rose Clare Kambamettu — who recently announced her engagement to Ryan Tubridy — is named as a judge in the televised contest 

Tue, 12 Aug, 2025

Clodagh Finn: It’s not the Hunger Games, it’s not Miss America — it’s our weird, beloved Rose of Tralee
Clodagh Finn: It’s not the Hunger Games, it’s not Miss America — it’s our weird, beloved Rose of Tralee
Tralee native Clodagh Finn reflects on the contradictions, criticisms and quiet joys of Ireland’s most divisive cultural celebration

Sun, 03 Aug, 2025

Garda appeal after vandal damages Rose of Tralee monument
Garda appeal after vandal damages Rose of Tralee monument
Gardaíhave described the main suspect as a male, aged in his late teens or early 20s

Fri, 04 Jul, 2025

Denis Lehane: The silage that smelt of Roses
Denis Lehane: The silage that smelt of Roses
As if by magic, down the road came this glamorous-looking bus filled with beautiful Roses from all over the world to help out this forlorn farmer, writes Denis Lehane

Sun, 25 Aug, 2024

New Zealand's Rose of Tralee winner:  'It's a beauty pageant that's not about beauty'
New Zealand's Rose of Tralee winner:  'It's a beauty pageant that's not about beauty'
New Zealand Rose Keely O'Grady said hardly anybody she knows has any idea what the contest is about

Wed, 21 Aug, 2024

'I will be doing this for my country': New Zealand's Keely O'Grady named as 2024 Rose of Tralee
'I will be doing this for my country': New Zealand's Keely O'Grady named as 2024 Rose of Tralee
The result was delivered on stage by show's CEO Anthony O'Gara, who was recently hospitalised for heart surgery.

Tue, 20 Aug, 2024

Meet the woman at centre of one of Rose of Tralee's greatest mysteries
Meet the woman at centre of one of Rose of Tralee's greatest mysteries
Little was known about what happened to Swiss national Claire Dübendorfer after she was crowned the 1972 Rose of Tralee — until now 

Tue, 20 Aug, 2024

From mental health to a rowing race: Three Rose of Tralee talking points from night one
From mental health to a rowing race: Three Rose of Tralee talking points from night one
The first night of the Kerry festival was as varied as ever. Here are some of the moments we're still talking about

Tue, 20 Aug, 2024

Rebel Roses dominate the agenda as Rose of Tralee kicks off 
Rebel Roses dominate the agenda as Rose of Tralee kicks off 
The start of this year’s competition had a distinctly Rebel feel, with a number of contestants having links to Cork

Tue, 20 Aug, 2024

Escorts' main job is to act as 'big brothers' to their roses 
Escorts' main job is to act as 'big brothers' to their roses 
'We are not essentially here to do anything other than to make sure they have the time of their lives'

Mon, 19 Aug, 2024

Woman at centre of one of Rose of Tralee's greatest mysteries to attend 2024 contest
Woman at centre of one of Rose of Tralee's greatest mysteries to attend 2024 contest
The Swiss national was last seen being driven away from Tralee on the back of her then boyfriend’s motorbike in 1972

Mon, 19 Aug, 2024

'Get over it': The Rose of Tralee is a celebration of Irish women
'Get over it': The Rose of Tralee is a celebration of Irish women
'Looking at it as a woman, it has shown great progression in the lives of women and the opportunities for women.'

Mon, 19 Aug, 2024

Families and friends fly in to support Rose of Tralee contestants
Families and friends fly in to support Rose of Tralee contestants
A Nasa researcher, an attorney in Chicago, and a radiologist at the National Children’s Hospital Temple Street are among this year's contestants 

Mon, 19 Aug, 2024

Melbourne Rose who lost brother to drink driver wants tougher sentences
Melbourne Rose who lost brother to drink driver wants tougher sentences
Dervla Dolan's 18-year-old brother Enda was killed on her 16th birthday

Sun, 18 Aug, 2024

Dáithí Ó Sé on becoming a life coach: 'I shoot from the hip — a West Kerry, solution-based look at an issue'
Dáithí Ó Sé on becoming a life coach: 'I shoot from the hip — a West Kerry, solution-based look at an issue'
Dáithí Ó Sé has been resident ‘Irish Examiner’ agony uncle for nearly a year now, but few people knew that all that time, behind the scenes, he was working on a postgraduate diploma in life coaching

Sat, 17 Aug, 2024

Rose of Tralee CEO to miss festival while recovering in hospital after heart surgery
Rose of Tralee CEO to miss festival while recovering in hospital after heart surgery
Anthony O’Gara is understood to have been taken to hospital in the last few days

Wed, 14 Aug, 2024

Mayor says 'not a hope in the world' Rose of Tralee festival would survive outside Kerry
Mayor says 'not a hope in the world' Rose of Tralee festival would survive outside Kerry
Suggestions the broadcast part of the festival could air from Dublin

Tue, 29 Aug, 2023

Female entrepreneur drawing on whiteboard
Irish Examiner view: Leadership needed over teacher staffing
Schools all over the country are struggling with teacher retention and recruitment challenges

Thu, 24 Aug, 2023

Garda stock
Letters to the Editor: Garda lethal force policy could lead to dire results
The deployment of armed gardaí, along with dog, mounted, and traffic units, shows a strategy of policing more akin to what we see in South American countries like Brazil or Ecuador.

Thu, 24 Aug, 2023

Touching tributes, dancing Dáithí and more: Six things we learned from the Rose of Tralee
Touching tributes, dancing Dáithí and more: Six things we learned from the Rose of Tralee
The madness of the Rose of Tralee is over and done with for another year, but the quintessentially Irish celebration has given us plenty of moments to look back on. From quirky party pieces to moving stories, the audience was taken on an emotional rollercoaster as this year’s Roses – and the hosts – gave it their all.

Wed, 23 Aug, 2023

Rose of Tralee 2023 Róisín Wiley adjusts to title after ‘life-changing’ few days
Rose of Tralee 2023 Róisín Wiley adjusts to title after ‘life-changing’ few days
The 2023 Rose of Tralee gave a special thanks to the people of the town for their support

Wed, 23 Aug, 2023

'This festival has empowered me': New York's Róisín Wiley named Rose of Tralee
'This festival has empowered me': New York's Róisín Wiley named Rose of Tralee
The Rose, whose parents are both from Limerick, was presented with the famous sash by last year’s Rose, Rachel Duffy during the final night of the Rose of Tralee Festival.

Wed, 23 Aug, 2023

Tears flow as Clare Rose thanks community for support after losing both her parents
Tears flow as Clare Rose thanks community for support after losing both her parents
The primary school teacher lost her father Pat in 2018 and just three years later, her mother Denise died from breast cancer.

Wed, 23 Aug, 2023

Watch: Behind the scenes of the Rose of Tralee 2023
Watch: Behind the scenes of the Rose of Tralee 2023
Some of the action behind the scenes of the Rose of Tralee 2023.

Tue, 22 Aug, 2023

Poodles, firefighters and surprise messages: Five highlights so far from the Rose of Tralee 2023
Poodles, firefighters and surprise messages: Five highlights so far from the Rose of Tralee 2023
The Rose of Tralee selection nights were off to a great start on Monday night

Tue, 22 Aug, 2023

Co-hosted Rose of Tralee delivers tradition with a twist
Co-hosted Rose of Tralee delivers tradition with a twist
'When is a celebration of Irish women out of date?' says co-host Dáithí Ó Sé

Tue, 22 Aug, 2023

Daithí Ó Sé on his memories of the Rose: ‘I owe a lot to the people of Tralee’
Daithí Ó Sé on his memories of the Rose: ‘I owe a lot to the people of Tralee’
 Daithi Ó Sé has been ten years at the helm of the Rose of the Tralee stage. As he returns to the stage, he shares his festival highlights

Mon, 21 Aug, 2023

Time for the Rose of Tralee naysayers to please shut up
Time for the Rose of Tralee naysayers to please shut up
Instead of calling for the much-loved festival to be axed, why can we not not initiate a constructive discussion about how it can be improved, writes Michelle McGlynn

Mon, 21 Aug, 2023

Watch: Rose Of Tralee Tour hits Emerald Park
Watch: Rose Of Tralee Tour hits Emerald Park
The Rose of Tralee hopefuls hit Emerald Park and have a night of glamour on their tour through Ireland

Thu, 17 Aug, 2023

Rose of Tralee: Long running Kerry festival has made a few changes
Rose of Tralee: Long running Kerry festival has made a few changes
This year’s Rose of Tralee sees Kerry County Council stepping in to foot the bill for street festivities, as well as the end of the annual tradition of the Rose Ball, Ellie O’Byrne writes

Thu, 17 Aug, 2023

Watch: Rose of Tralee 2023 launch
Watch: Rose of Tralee 2023 launch
Rose of Tralee hosts Dáithí Ó Sé and Kathryn Thomas unite with 32 rose hopefuls at the RTÉ Rose of Tralee Launch

Wed, 16 Aug, 2023

Rose of Tralee fans see red as posters supporting Cork Rose removed over alleged breach 
Rose of Tralee fans see red as posters supporting Cork Rose removed over alleged breach 
Cork City Council said signs posed a potential risk to road safety because they had been placed in areas where they could distract motorists

Tue, 15 Aug, 2023

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