Rose of Tralee not ‘a lovely girls’ contest, says professor

The Rose of Tralee is not a replica of the Father Ted “lovely girls” competition, but is “an excellent and rare opportunity for women to highlight their achievements”, a female professor has said.

Professor emeritus Pat O’Connor, of the University of Limerick, said her only criticism of the 58-year-long event is that the spotlight on women is frequently “diluted” by men.

The focus on women’s lives and achievements, she said, is reduced by the host’s attention to himself, or to Roses’ boyfriends and the escorts in the audience, which can be “most irritating.”