Gay Rose of Tralee winner ‘would have been accepted 10 years ago’

New Rose of Tralee Maria Walsh has suggested a gay winner of the competition would have been accepted "10 years ago" if the opportunity arose.

Speaking to the Irish Examiner as part of a small number of weekend interviews on the matter, the 27-year-old stressed that despite some critics claiming the popular contest represents an out-dated version of Irish culture, officials have been entirely welcoming of her news.

While she confirmed that organisers did not know about her sexuality until a newspaper request for an interview on the subject occurred — despite initial suggestions to the contrary — the Mayo-raised Rose said she was assured it made no difference to the role.

And stressing how critics’ image of the festival does not match with her own real -life experience, she said it “would have been fine” for a Rose of Tralee to come out as gay “10 years ago” if the situation had occurred.

“Sexuality has not got anything to do with achieving this role and being an ambassador [for Irish women].

“People are saying the Rose of Tralee is now modern but it has always been modern, and if a story like that helped a few people see that, then it’s been great.

“I hope it would have been as positive 10 years ago as it is now, but Ireland is great for accepting any Tom, Dick or Harry, so I think even back then it would have been fine,” she said.

While keen to stress she does not want to simply be seen as the first openly gay Rose of Tralee, Maria said she is happy to use the interest in her private life to encourage young people who may face the same situation as herself to have confidence to be who they really are.

Maria, who had a number of boyfriends while growing up, before a two-year relationship with a female colleague on a GAA team in Philadelphia, said the reaction from Rose of Tralee officials and other contestants to her news shows how open Ireland is to the topic.

“It’s great a lot of the feedback was ‘sure what does it matter’, because that’s the times we’re living in, whether we knew it or not. All of us [festival officials] sat around and said it is a great story; it was such a positive story.

“I texted the girls beforehand and said I have a little bit of gossip for you that’s going to hit the headlines and they were like, gee that’s great. Sexual orientation has become such a thing of the past,” she said. “If [my experience] could even help one person come out and deal with it in a positive way and have positive reinforcement around that, then my year as a Rose of Tralee has already been completed.”

When asked to comment on how the contest would react should Maria be asked to travel to Rose of Tralee bases in Bahrain or Abu Dhabi, which have far more restrictive laws on sexuality, a spokesperson said the issue would be addressed as it occurs, and that to date it has not occurred.

However, saying the competition “respects other peoples’ traditions,” he said that Maria — who will continue to be based in Philadelphia during the course of her year-long time as Rose of Tralee — would be travelling in an official capacity and not as an activist.