Lorraine’s Rose of Tralee hope

TRAGIC Lorraine Kehoe was just 22 when she stepped on stage at the Rose of Tralee festival, carrying Waterford’s hopes for the prestigious crown.

Although that year’s honour went to Cork Rose Denise Murphy, also 22, Miss Kehoe was one of the early favourites after wooing the public.

The Irish Examiner’s colour picture archive shows a happy Lorraine Kehoe on a float smiling and waving to the adoring crowds below.

While all of the public’s early favourites came away empty-handed, Miss Kehoe did meet her husband-to-be, escort Dermot Flood, of Wexford.

Miss Kehoe clearly caught the eye of punters looking for a sure-fire bet alongside Leeds Rose Gabby Yorath — who is today BBC Television presenter Gabby Logan.

Other roses emerging as early favourites were transatlantic roses Kathleen Zeng, 22, of Chicago, and Brigid Little, 21, of Las Vegas.

Public backing of the roses is a fierce sport during the festival with punters piling on money at the hint of a merest rumour that one woman has a slight advantage over the other.

Although the festival was in the early 1990s, the event had all the associations of old Ireland and not the new country blessed by the Celtic Tiger.

The 1991 Rose of Tralee was opened by then Taoiseach Charlie Haughey and was compered, as was custom in those days, by RTÉ stalwart Gay Byrne.

One festival tradition that is still honoured today is the festival parade — a dazzling array of colour as the contestants parade through Tralee in carnival mood.

Escorts are very much at the festival to behave as gentlemen and attend to their every need — be it extra blusher or accompanying them to the Rose Ball.