Job offers bloom for Rose snubbed over her accent

A young woman who was snubbed by a job agency because of her strong Irish accent has been flooded with offers of work.

Former Rose of Tralee finalist Gráinne Boyle was told by the London-based Bonne International Nanny Agency that her Donegal accent was too strong.

Gráinne, 25, who holds a master’s degree in education, had conducted an interview via Skype with the Harley St agency.

Although she was told she was more than qualified for a position as a live-in nanny with a Russian family, she was turned down.

In fact the agency told her they could not find her work anywhere in the world because of her accent.

Gráinne revealed she has since been contacted by at least six people offering her work. “Two of them are people I have worked for before, including one in Dubai and four others heard about my story,” she said, adding she was “overwhelmed by the response”.

“I am just considering things at the moment and I won’t rush into anything.”

The agency admitted in a letter to Gráinne that most of its clients are now looking for a “BBC accent”.

Gráinne said she won’t be applying to any more job agencies who have issues with her accent. “I am still trying to get over the fact that it was ever an issue in the first place. A lot of people still can’t believe that this kind of things still goes on in this day and age.

“I certainly won’t be applying to any agencies who discriminate against people who have a certain accent.

“I said it already — I’m proud of my accent and where I come from and I certainly won’t be changing that for anyone.”