Roll up: ‘The Dáithi Show’ open for business

THE first half of the annual obsession everyone in the country claims they don’t watch kicked off last night with a new host, new love and, arguably, a new unofficial name.

While presenter Dáithi O Sé was at pains to insist the festival is first and foremost about the 32 Roses involved, the focus on his debut led to the festival maestro declaring to reporters that “The Dáithi Show” is now in town.

Before the first night of the live Rose of Tralee broadcasts the rising star revealed he has found love with, fittingly, a former contestant in the show, following the same path as former host Ryan Tubridy and 2005 winner Aoibhinn Ní Shúilleabháin.

The Dingle native met the 2008 New Jersey Rose Rita Tatly while working as a judge that year, with the pair becoming an item in May.

He jokingly referred to his new love – who bookmakers have put odds of 3/1 on Mr O Sé proposing to by the end of next year – as a woman who while supportive would be “the first one throwing tomatoes if I make a few boo-boos on the show”.

But there was no risk of such an unceremonious end to the blossoming relationship last night at least, as Dáithi’s down-to-earth style put the first 18 hopefuls at ease and helped him make a dream start to his tenure as Ray D’Arcy’s successor.

As the Roses rushed into the Dome arena under the suit coats of their escorts to hide from a sudden deluge of rain, the cameras clicked on and The Dáithi Show began.

With his first words, the nervous-looking presenter explained the delay in finding a Kerry host was because it took so long “to find one with a tuxedo and the stamina for 32 women in two nights” – a feat, alongside stepping into “Ray D’Arcy’s stilettos” the former weatherman said he was more than able to handle.

Indicating the change in Irish culture since the festival began more than half a century ago, the first batch of 2010 Roses easily coped with their host’s tongue-in-cheek jokes, putting him back in his place whenever his antics risked stepping over the mark.

After Tipperary Rose, Garda training college lecturer Lynda Kelly, broke the ice with the first appearance of the night, Dáithi was faced with a long balloon Queensland Rose Aisling Ryan planned to make into a sword for her party piece.

When the cheeky host noted that “your one’s (the balloon) bigger than mine” Ms Ryan didn’t flinch and caught the presenter off-guard.

“You must get that a lot,” she said, as the Kerry man turned a disturbingly Cork-like shade of red.

Other Roses admitted before the show that they had searched the YouTube website at length to find videos of Dáithi speaking in order to understand his admittedly strong accent.

But despite the difficulties the host kept his composure, telling Philadelphia Rose Mairead Conley – whose “secret” ambition is to work for the FBI – that he expected to be frisked.

The first night of the live TV event included a plethora of party pieces, including Southern California Rose Sarah Felong’s stirring rendition of the Giacomo Puccini opera piece O Mio Babbino Caro, poems and Irish dancing.

A sombre tone to proceedings was also noted as Boston and New England Rose Deirdre Keane explained that her father, who died while she was a teenager, always referred to her as “his little rose”.

At the start of the first night’s TV coverage of this year’s competition, RTÉ radio presenter Will Leahy joked that “the Gulf War didn’t get as much coverage as Dáithi taking over the Rose of Tralee” – a comment the host responded to by saying the conflict “didn’t cause as much trouble”.

Even if he does end up becoming more shock than awe, Dáithi O Sé’s unique off-the-cuff brand of presenting means the Rose of Tralee will never be quite the same again.

Roll up, roll up, The Dáithi Show is open for business.