Hotels snapped up for Rose festival

Most accommodation in Tralee, Co Kerry, for the 2014 Rose festival, which gets under way later this week, has been snapped up.

Tralee Chamber Alliance, which represents local businesses, was yesterday contacting its members to keep it informed of cancellations.

While some B&Bs still have beds, most hotels and self-catering facilities are booked out at this stage, according to the chamber.

“It all looks like being a very good week for Tralee once again,’’ said chamber chief executive Kieran Ruttledge.

The 32 Roses have begun their tour of the country, meanwhile, starting at festival sponsor Newbridge Silverware, in Kildare, on Sunday, and visiting Croke Park and the Guinness Storehouse yesterday.

They will also travel to Leitrim and Roscommon and take a cruise on the River Shannon before meeting this year’s escorts in Athlone, Co Westmeath, on Thursday. They will be paired with their escorts and will have a chance to get to know them before they arrive in Tralee, on Friday.

A rose ball in the Dome, on Friday night, will kick off the festival, with a hectic schedule of events in the run-up to the first part of the two televised selection programmes, on Monday night.

The programme, which consistently attracts some of the biggest audiences of the year for RTÉ, will again be presented by Daithi Ó Se and the successor to reigning Rose of Tralee Haley O’Sullivan will be crowned on Tuesday night.

Around 700 people, including the Roses, will take part in three colourful parades and the emphasis will be on street entertainment, with some of the country’s top acts among the performers. More than 80 hours of entertainment is being provided for people of all ages. There will be five daily entertainment schedules featuring Nathan Carter, Derek Ryan, Brendan Shine and Birds Amusements, to name just a few.

On Sunday, the emphasis will be on family entertainment and the skies over Tralee will light up with two spectacular fireworks displays and the annual Skyfest Air Display.