Committee angry over decision to axe Whelan from presenting Rose

THE Rose of Tralee festival committee is angry over a decision to axe Marty Whelan as the presenter of the televised part of the contest.

The row emerged as Derek Mooney’s name heads the potential list of replacements for this year’s event on August 25 and 26.

RTÉ announced on Wednesday that the presentation of the show will be rotated yearly but that veteran broadcaster Whelan would no longer host the two-day event.

However, a meeting of the festival committee on Thursday night is understood to have supported calls for him to be retained.

“It was suggested within the committee that they should keep Marty Whelan on and that was unanimously backed,” a source said.

It is unclear if festival management or RTÉ were behind the decision

but festival chief executive Siobhán Hanley told Radio Kerry that Marty Whelan was highly respected.

“Marty has been tremendous, with his interaction with the girls and looking after them and putting them at their ease,” she said.

RTÉ said it is considering more coverage of events in Tralee during the festival and making the traditional competitors’ party piece non-obligatory. A number of potential presenters are being tipped, including Marty’s Open House television co-host Mary Kennedy.

RTÉ said this week that this year’s presenter will be announced within a month.

However, radio and television presenter Derek Mooney is being hotly backed within RTÉ circles to do the honours.

He presents the National Lottery’s Winning Streak programme on Saturday nights, which would have a similar audience category to the Rose of Tralee.

Other names mentioned include Brendan Courtney, who presents the internet travel programme Wanderlust on Network 2, and TG4’s travel show presenter Hector Ó hEochagáin.

Marty Whelan took over the Rose of Tralee job in 1997, succeeding Derek Davis who had a brief stint as presenter when Gay Byrne stepped down after presenting the show for 20 years.