Raising smiles and €20,000 for cancer clinic

IT was billed as the Not The Rose of Tralee evening — and with TD Dr Jim McDaid waddling along the catwalk in diving suit and fins and singer Daniel O’Donnell almost baring all, it was a far cry from the world-famous Co Kerry event.

But the participants in the Not The Rose charity event at Letterkenny, Co Donegal, treated their 700 fans to a hilarious night that didn’t end until the early hours yesterday.

The judges, who included former Miss Ireland Natasha Nic Ghairbheith, Country star Philomena Begley and Daniel’s singer sister Margo, just couldn’t figure out what category Dr McDaid was contesting when he lifted a foot to wave a greeting at them.