'I will be doing this for my country': New Zealand's Keely O'Grady named as 2024 Rose of Tralee

The result was delivered on stage by show's CEO Anthony O'Gara, who was recently hospitalised for heart surgery.

2024 International Rose of Tralee Keely O’Grady. Picture: Domnick Walsh

New Zealand Rose Keely O'Grady has won this year’s Rose of Tralee.

She is the 3rd rose from New Zealand to win the title in the competition’s 65-year history.

She said: “I cannot put it into words how I feel. 

I will be doing this for my country 

“We have only had two New Zealand roses, so it really means a lot to me.”

Moments before this year's winner was announced, co-host Dáithí Ó Sé announced that coming up was the 2022 winner of the contest, before his fellow host Kathryn Thomas corrected him.

New Zealand Rose Keely O'Grady has won this year’s Rose of Tralee..

The result was delivered on stage by the show's CEO Anthony O'Gara, who was recently hospitalised for heart surgery.

He paid tribute to a "strong sisterhood of women" who took part in this year’s contest.

The result came at the end of two selection nights of the Rose of Tralee International Festival which were aired live on RTÉ from the Kerry Sports Academy at the Munster Technological University (MTU).

Keely succeeds the 2023 Rose of Tralee, Róisín Wiley, from New York.

She said of her time as the reigning rose: “I have just gained so much confidence and pride in myself. That is what the festival does - it encourages us to be ourselves.

“I’d say this whole festival is about yourself.” 

Her advice to this year’s Rose of Tralee, she said: “Enjoy the year, make it your own and have a bit of fun with it.” 

The evening  was attended by around 1,400 people while more than a million viewers are expected to have tuned into RTÉ to watch both selection nights.

It was announced at the start of tonight’s  show that there were 40% more streaming this year than last year from 80 countries around the world.

The four-person judging panel that picked this year’s Rose of Tralee was chaired by Co Mayo native and 1998 Rose of Tralee, Luzveminda O’Sullivan.

Her colleagues are weather presenter Nuala Carey, Galway Bay FM’s Ollie Turner and Kerry native designer Don O’Neill.

Earlier in the evening, the audience were brought to tears by the Westmeath Rose, Grace O’Connor, a 21-year-old support worker with people who have intellectual disabilities.

The fact that her brother Ryan died was brought up in her onstage interview with co-host Kathryn Thomas.

As she spoke about him, a group of family and friends were looking at the audience in tears.

She told Kathryn he died unexpectedly two days before Christmas.

“The way I like to put it is that he took the shortcut home,” she said.

“We all pass on but he just got there a bit quicker.

“He was my rock. We did everything together.” She recited a poem she wrote for him, entitled Dear Brother.