Ó Sé hints at most shocking Rose of Tralee costume ever

Regular Rose of Tralee viewers are used to unusual sights, with banana songs, breakfast rolls, and a contestant who decapitated Sesame Street’s Bert of Bert and Ernie fame (seriously) all taking the spotlight in recent years.

But over the next two days, avid viewers of the extravaganza may witness something that puts even these oddities firmly in the shade, whether they want to or not.

Speaking to the Irish Examiner on the eve of his third time in the hotseat, presenter Dáithí Ó Sé gave a typically left-field response to the standard “what can we expect from this year’s festival” question.

Shocking, disturbingly, and, yes, even wrongly, the tongue-in-cheek Kerryman put all sense to one side, jokingly — we hope — announcing plans to wear a Borat-style mankini at this year’s event.

Be honest, you wouldn’t have seen it in Gaybo’s day.

“There’s some really good party pieces from the Roses this year. We can’t give anything away but we’re looking to have a bit of fun.

“There’s even some talk of a mankini, although we’re still going through health and safety at the moment,” the Dingle man revealed.

“My main job is to make sure all the Roses stay comfortable this year, but they’re all really up for the craic so we’ll be looking to have a bit of fun.”

Since taking up the Rose of Tralee presenter’s mantle in 2010, Ó Sé’s life has become intertwined with the event.

After confirming his relationship with 2008 New Jersey Rose, Rita Talty, in 2010, the couple wed this summer — stopping into the festival centre at the Carlton Hotel at the time.

Ó Sé said: “There’s this mad thing. Gaybo, Marty [Whelan], Derek Davis, Ray D’Arcy, and Ryan Tubridy have all done the Rose of Tralee presenting, and there’s this thing of filling their shoes.

“But when I get down here all I hear is I’m the first Kerryman to cover it.

“It’s an amazing atmosphere to step out in front of a crowd of 2,000 and know everybody wants you to do well, and that’s what we try and get across to the Roses before they go on.

“Once we’re having fun, that’s the most important thing.”

As with any event spanning more than half a century, there is of course always the risk of a ‘family’ falling out.

This year’s potential banana skin, Ó Sé joked, could come with New York Rose Annmarie Lynch who — the presenter insists — “overcharged my uncle when she was working in the Pig and Whistle” in New York.

But when it comes to the Rose of Tralee, even Irish financial problems can be laughed off. The event is more popular than ever and brings up to €8m into Tralee every year.