Thorny times for Rose festival
Four traditional Rose selection centres - Dublin, Cork, Waterford and Galway - have parted company while support bodies in Kildare and Sligo have also thrown in the towel.
Managing director of the festival company, Anthony O’Gara said yesterday the decision of long-established committees to step down was regrettable. He confirmed the festival had losses of €1.5 million last year.
However, he insisted the withdrawal of support by certain committees would not affect the number of Irish entries in the international competition.
However, fundraising bodies in Sligo and Kildare expressed their anger that the Rose of Tralee company was seeking between 55%-60% of monies raised.
Galway Rose Committee organising secretary Patsy Conway said yesterday his group resigned en bloc over the restructuring measures.
He said the committee was also annoyed that the Galway Rose would no longer be automatically entered into the international final.
A national Rose competition will be held in June to determine the eight Irish entrants into the international event. However, automatic entry will apply to the Cork, Dublin and Ulster selections.
New changes also includes support groups being directed to raise a minimum of €20,000 for the company.
Meanwhile, Mr O’Gara disputed claims that local charities, which benefited from Rose selection events would lose out. “The company believes that five to ten times more money will be donated to charity under the new structures,” he added.
