Roses blooming as sun shines on festival

The lights are up, the cameras are ready, and the action is waiting to burst onto the streets.

The Rose of Tralee International Festival kicks off in style today with the annual ball and they couldn’t have picked a nicer day for it — thankfully the good weather looks set to stay for the weekend, with Met Éireann predicting clear skies and temperatures of between 14 and 17 degrees.

While the Rose Ball is one of the most anticipated celebrations of a contestant’s schedule, the event also marks another day closer to the live finals and some of the entrants are, understandably, feeling some flutters.