Host’s bizarre antics steal the show at Rose festival

It’s a strange sight indeed when a competition in which 32 women bid to represent Ireland on the world stage is almost overtaken by the male host’s comic quips and wardrobe changes.

However, when those all-too-deliberate clothing malfunctions involve Mardi Gras clown suits, miniature beds, a “kiss my cod” fisherman’s hat and a beard that has a life — never mind a budding fan base — of its own, it begins to make more sense.

Since taking up the mantle in 2010, Rose of Tralee host Dáithí Ó Sé has become a serial show stealer with his bizarre tongue-in-cheek antics that seem the perfect match for the festival.