Roses seeking Ireland’s most eligible escorts
Background unimportant but applicants must be young, affable and gregarious, kind and generous and, most of all, single.
Financial status does not matter but a few euro to spend on their lovely charges would not go astray.
Must also scrub up well.
Must like Roses.
No scumbags need apply.
The Rose of Tralee International Festival yesterday unveiled a nationwide search to find 28 of Ireland's most eligible escorts to participate in this year's event.
The escort search, which was launched by reigning Rose of Tralee, Tamara Gervasoni, on Dublin's Grafton Street, involves over 3,000 companies and organisations in Ireland being targeted with a poster campaign to encourage them to enter a candidate.
The festival is seeking to recruit men between the ages of 20 and 30 to escort the 28 national and international Roses for the duration of the week.
All entries received by Saturday, July 12 will be reviewed and a short-list will be drawn up. Aspiring escorts will then undergo an interview before the judges, chaired by Louis Copeland. Once selected, an escort then has to secure a sponsor often his employer.
"As well as being of impeccable character and good personality, the only other requirement an escort has to have is that he must be up for having a fantastic time," said a festival spokesperson.
This year marks the 45th year of the Rose of Tralee International Festival and escorts have been an integral part of the Rose selection event since it began in 1959.
Previous Rose escorts include in-coming Lord Mayor of Dublin, Cllr Royston Brady and Cork comedian, Alan Shortt.
The 2003 Rose of Tralee International Festival takes place from Friday, August 22, until Tuesday 26th and culminates with the live broadcast of the Rose of Tralee selection on RTE1.
Budding escorts can find out more by calling the premium call information line 1550 111 444.
Application forms are available from the official festival website: www.roseoftralee.ie.
