Rebel Roses dominate the agenda as Rose of Tralee kicks off
Bagpipe player, San Francisco Rose Maggie Baglin played the iconic hit '500 Miles' for an enthused audience on night one of the Rose of Tralee selections. Picture : Domnick Walsh/Eye Focus
The start of this year’s Rose of Tralee competition had a distinctly Rebel feel, with a number of contestants having links to Cork.
First up for the first of two selection nights at the Kerry Sports Academy at the Munster Technological University (MTU), from where the event was aired live, was Dubai Rose, Ciara O'Sullivan.
The 27-year-old teacher from Newmarket, north Cork, is on a career break from her school in Mallow and currently works as deputy head of the mathematics department at Dubai’s Hartland International School.
She spoke about being a keen Gaelic football player and a Gaeilgeoir.
Her party piece was to play a musical rendition of the traditional Irish blessing, May the Road Rise Up to Meet You, on her harp.
After her came the Waterford Rose, Abby Walsh a Múinteoir Bunscoile in a Gaelscoil. The 22-year-old described herself as “a gifted talker, napper, and grazer eater” who is “secretly amazing at building in Minecraft”.
The “funny story” she was encouraged to tell was about the time she put an earring up her nose, by accident.
Prompted by co-host Dáithí Ó Sé, she said she was around 10 at the time. “The earring ended up in my nose,” she said laughing. “I went down to my mother and told her I didn’t know what happened but I was asleep and it went up.”
She told how her mother tried to get it out but failed, and they ended up in a hospital accident and emergency.
“I lived to tell the tale,” she told the audience, which included her parents, and boyfriend Luke.
She then played a haunting ballad on her fiddle.
After her came the North Carolina Rose, Kathryn Wright.
The 27-year-old has roots in Galway, where her grandmother came from.
She spoke of having recently graduated with a Masters of Arts in International Higher Education from Boston College and her work as a program manager for the Office of Global Education. There she manages and advises all Irish and Italian study abroad programs.
She played a card trick as her party piece.
After the commercial break was the Cork Rose, Shauna O'Sullivan. The 25-year-old pharmacist, who is from Araglen, described herself as a “proud Cork woman” despite being from a village bordering three counties — Cork, Tipperary, and Waterford.
She pointed out that her village carnival, which she helps run, is two years older than the Rose of Tralee.
The eldest of four, she said she is “happy to stay in Cork for the time being”.
Currently single, as Dáithí told the audience, she was asked to introduce her escort, Jack McHugh (SPL).
She said of him that “he’s mighty” and “I couldn’t ask for better".
She also added the fact that Jack has a girlfriend in Vancouver means “his intentions are pure and he’s in it for the right reasons”.
She left the stage without performing, and was followed by another Cork-born Rose, the Perth Rose, Maria Collins.
The 29-year-old, from Coppeen in West Cork, emigrated to Australia just over a year ago.
Her trip back to Ireland for the Rose of Tralee is the first time she has been here since she emigrated.
Before singing the haunting Irish ballad 'Mo Ghile Mear' — 'My Gallant Darling' — accompanied by an orchestral arrangement, she revealed that she has brought her Australian boyfriend back to meet her family.
Next up was San Francisco Rose Maggie Baglin, whose father is from Cork and whose mother is from Cavan.
The 23-year-old plays the bagpipes and is a member of Irish Pipers Band of San Francisco, where her father worked as an engineer and helped build the city's distinctive cable cars.
The registered behaviour therapist said she is thinking of moving to Ireland, although she hasn’t quite discussed it with her family.
Members of the band that came over with her chipped in and bought her a set of bagpipes, on which she played '500 Miles', the 1988 Proclaimers hit.
Among the others who took part last night, including roses from Galway, Kilkenny, Monaghan, New Zealand, Newfoundland & Labrador, North Carolina, Ohio, Sydney and Wicklow, was the Melbourne Rose, Dervla Dolan.
The 25-year-old from Killyclogher, Co Tyrone, has said drink drivers who kill people should face tougher sentences.
Dervla's 18-year-old brother Enda was killed by a drink driver on her 16th birthday.
She told the that she believes killing someone while drink driving is “technically” manslaughter and she wants these drivers to be treated accordingly and face life sentences.
She also says people, especially young people, need to be reminded that their vehicles are “weapons” and need to understand the consequences of their actions while driving.
The history teacher, who emigrated to Melbourne in 2022, says governments on both sides of the border need to put drink drivers behind bars for longer.
Tomorrow night will see the remaining roses compete.
They will be from Cavan, Chicago, Derry, Donegal, Dublin, Florida, Kildare, London, New York, Roscommon, Sligo, Tipperary, Westmeath and Yorkshire.
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