'Get over it': The Rose of Tralee is a celebration of Irish women

'Looking at it as a woman, it has shown great progression in the lives of women and the opportunities for women.'

(Left to right) Florida Rose Molly Ronan, Cork Rose Shauna O'Sulivan, Leitrim Rose Shauna Murtah, co-host Dáithí O'Sé, co-host Kathryn Thomas, Galway Rose Deirdre Jennings, Waterford Rose Abby Walsh and Roscommon Rose Rachel Hastings at the launch of this year’s Rose of Tralee International Festival 2024 at Airfield Estate in Dublin. Photo: Domnick Walsh

There are two words you really shouldn’t mention when you discuss the Rose of Tralee — “lovely” and “girls”.

As fans of the annual festival will point out, anybody who thinks it amounts to little more than an infamous Father Ted parody centered around a fictional Lovely Girls competition just “doesn’t get it”.