Rose hopes to help others come out

She knows fessing up to being Tralee’s first gay Rose has caused a "little bit of a scandal" but if her honesty helps even one young person come out, she’ll consider it a job well done.

So said Philly Rose Maria Walsh on the Late Late Show last night in a display of such wholesomeness that even the most hardened homophobic could hardly fail to be won over.

Unfazed by any of the questions thrown at her, the new Rose responded with “On a Sunday what else is there to do but come out?” when asked how she felt about the Sunday newspapers revealing her sexuality.

She knew it was coming, she said, the papers had contacted her in advance for comment.

“I’ve nothing to hide, I’ve been openly gay for two years,” she said. Despite her openness, the Rose of Tralee festival committee were unaware that she was gay. She hadn’t mentioned it, she said, because she hadn’t expected to win.

She realised she was gay two years ago at a team dinner party she said, in her coach’s house. Without naming the object of her affections Maria said they “had made it work for two years” but then went their own ways. However her ex did come to the Dome to support her.

Her father Vincent, who was in the audience last night, said he “did get a bit of a shock to say the least” when his daughter told him she was gay.

“I hugged her for about 10 or 15 minutes,” he said, adding that he was “so proud of Maria for all of the things that she has been and she has done for the community.”

Maria said she had no problem with being a role model for other young people struggling with their sexuality although she did not relish the title of the First Gay Rose. She said if her honesty helped a young person “deal with it in a positive way and have positive reinforcement” then that was good enough for her.

People often lacked understanding in relation to the gay community because they did not understand, she said. But to have a career, to marry, to have children, all of it was possible.

Maria also spoke about being a pioneer and how it never stopped her from enjoying herself, and of her love of GAA. She attended the Mayo v Kerry All Ireland Football Championship semi final and was presented with a Mayo jersey, which she immediately donned. Having moved to Ireland from America at the age of seven, she said “bar the crown and the ash, it was probably the best gift I’ve ever been given.”