Thorny times for Rose festival

A NUMBER of disgruntled Rose of Tralee fundraising committees have severed links with the Kerry festival company in a protest over its fiscal restructuring.

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.