Winner of 2018 Rose of Tralee would not enter competition now due to level of racist sentiment in society

In 2018, Kirsten Mate Maher was the first African-Irish entrant to win the competition and was the third mixed race winner when she represented Waterford in Tralee. File photo: Domnick Walsh © Eye Focus LTD

A former winner of the Rose of Tralee has admitted she does not believe she would have entered the competition now given the level of racist sentiment and anti-diversity commentary in Irish society now.

Kirsten Mate Maher's comments came as the latest statistics from gardaí show a record number of hate crimes and hate-related incidents reported to the force with anti-race and anti-nationality recorded as the predominant motivating factors.