Lynda Kelly, Tipperary Rose 2010

Hi all, Its Lynda here,, last years Tipperary Rose..... so the time has come for the roses of 2010 to hand over their sashes- reluctant and all as i am to loose this wonderful title the time has come for the rosebuds of 2011 to be selected. I can't even begin to explain how wonderful the whole experience has been for me - i've made 63 new friend between the roses and escorts from Tralee and around another 30 from the Regionals. They're have been around 7 reunions since August not to mention the excitement and splendour of Tralee itself which could never be put into words. If while reading this.. even a miniscule part of you is whispering "wouldn't that be fun"... then you've really got to apply.

I never imagined I could be a serious contestant - having played international rugby i naively believed that the judges would be looking for petite, gentle, demure ladies. But the truth is they want woman who represent all that is good about Ireland - ambitious, generous and talented (but not always in an obvious way). Everyone has something to offer. I can honestly say that the selection in Tipperary was the start of the most wonderful journey for me. No doubt each rose would freely admit the same thing. And although i know it sounds like the oldest cliché in the book - it really could be you!! Although i'll undoubtedly be secretly shouting for Tipp in Portlaoise and hopefully Tralee next year, its an experience of a lifetime regardless of the county you represent.

Best of luck*****
Lynda Kelly (still the Tipp Rose but not for long)

Nicola Hackett Monaghan Rose 2009

My Rose of Tralee experience began on a sunny August evening in 1991 singing along to ‘A Little Peace’ with a local lady Sinead Murphy who was representing Ulster and Monaghan in the prestigious Dome at the International Rose of Tralee Final.  I was only three years old and I’ve watched the festival every year since, taking notes of the colours of the dresses, which rose sang the nicest song or told the funniest story and who danced the best jig. I always knew that someday when I grew up, I would enter the competition.  So in 2009 on the 50^th Anniversary of the Rose of Tralee, I decided to enter. This decision proved to be the best decision I have ever made.

I remember lining up with the girls, holding hands, awaiting the winner to be announced and wishing the proceedings to be over so we could relax and get dancing! When to my complete surprise my name was called, it took a second to sink in and I could see the pride and joy in my family’s faces as I seem to drift over in an outer body experience to be crowned. It is a feeling that I cannot describe, a feeling that I still feel every time I see a new Rose being given this amazing role.

At the Irish Regional Final I met with 29 other Irish roses all hoping to be selected to represent their county at the Dome in Tralee. The weekend involved, meeting the local school children, taking part in a vintage parade, visiting nursing homes and hospitals, visiting heritage sites and of course the stage interviews with no other but Ray D’Arcy. We each had a rose bud that joined us in the parade and I still receive cards from my rose bud, she hopes to be Rose in the future. It was like a mini version of Tralee. Unfortunately for me I wasn’t successful to get through to the international final but I was determined to embrace every aspect of the Festival. So along with the other regional roses we supported our Irish girls from the audience in the Dome, we cheered them on from the streets during the Rose Parade and danced with them at the glamorous Rose Ball. We met some of the previous winners of the Rose of Tralee and the most popular Rose presenter Gay Byrne. It was an amazing experience and a wonderful feeling to know the Roses on stage and to have so much pride in them.

Since becoming the Monaghan Rose my life has been provided with many opportunities and overwhelming experiences. I have become part of a huge new family, the Rose of Tralee Family, which is made up of Roses and escorts, committee members, centre co-ordinators, family and friends who have all met because of the festival. I have been on numerous reunions which include everyone from all previous years. I attended trips such as skiing in Austria, celebrating New Year together in style, travelling to New York in 2010 to march in the 250^th St. Patrick’s Day Parade with the 2009 USA Roses. I have met inspirational women and men, sports stars, musicians and TV personalities all through opportunities presented to me through the Rose Festival.

If it wasn’t for Sinead Murphy being our Rose in 1991, I would never have entered the competition. Sadly I never had the chance to meet Sinead as she passed away after a tragic road accident during her year as the Ulster Rose. Since then, to my knowledge, Monaghan hasn’t had a rose in Tralee so I am very hopeful for this year’s entrants. I hope that one of you can follow in Sinead’s footsteps and make Monaghan proud.

This year in 2011, I am so fortunate to be co-ordinating the Monaghan Centre. I was overjoyed to be asked as I can’t see myself stepping away from the festival in the near future. The ‘Rose Bug’ is a tough one to get rid of; once you catch it you’re stuck with it.

So please do not hesitate to enter. Don’t think about it just fill in the form, you won’t regret it and if you decide not to enter you’re missing out on an experience of a lifetime, one that can only be experienced to be understood.

Nicola Hackett

Niamh Sherlock, Dublin Rose 2010

Participation in the Rose of Tralee will become one of the notable occasions in your life. I benefitted from the moment I entered and continue to reap the rewards of being a part of such an honoured tradition. There are not many opportunities in your life to stand up and thank the people who have loved and supported you but the Rose of Tralee is one such opportunity. Not only do you get to thank them but you stand in front of millions of people representing your family, your community and most importantly yourself.

I entered because I loved the Rose of Tralee and finally I was brave enough to just go for it. At the first selection I made great friends, at the Dublin final I made more friends and during the Rose Festival I found myself in a new family, a very unique family made up of Roses and Escorts whom I would share laughs, tears and incredible memories with.

The experience is very hard to describe, as a person I gained so much confidence and learnt how to speak about myself and what mattered to me to people who were interested in hearing it! I have this new group of friends who share a bond that not many people understand, I am in contact with Roses all over the world and will be travelling to Mardi Gras to visit the New Orleans Rose before we fly to New York for a massive St Patricks Day, Rose of Tralee reunion.

If I could fill out the form for you I would but I can’t so instead I urge you to download the application and send it away. No matter what stage you get to in the process you will be glad you entered and you will learn things about yourself that you never do.

Niamh Sherlock

Gareth Mc Greevy, Belfast/Arizona Escort 2010

The Rose of Tralee is something I grew up with in my house watching it with the family. I always wondered what it would be like to be a part of the festival and when I had the great opportunity to be involved, it was all I dreamt of and more.

From the local rounds at your centre - whether it be Belfast, Carlow, Dubai or Arizona - you are guaranteed a great time from the outset. At the Belfast Centre last year our prospective roses had a day out at Victoria Square with luxury beauty treatment, a VIP night with Fat Boy Slim and then the selection night which was great craic. The Escorts all got on the best and I would still keep in touch with some roses and escorts from our centre heat.

The next step for the roses is the Regional Final held in Portloaise - unfortunately I didn't make it down - but I definitely will this year.

For the Escorts, it is Bootcamp. Not knowing what to expect, most of the lads were nervous all weekend but we had great craic and all got on like a house on fire. It was great to get to know each other and great training for what to expect in Tralee.

Then there is the main event, Tralee itself. As soon as you set your foot in Tralee you are treated like a star. Many highlights include meeting the roses for the first time, finding out your allocated roses, the Parade on the Saturday evening, the Fashion Show on the Sunday, the bonding sessions with the Roses and Escorts, getting to know so many different people, the live TV broadcasts, the adventures each day, sing songs and off course the partying.

Some would say The Rose of Tralee should claim the pringles marketing phrase of Once you pop you just can't stop but in all seriousness, once you get involved in Rose of Tralee International Festival your life will change forever. I have met some great friends, not only in my neighboring counties but indeed across the world and I could safely say no matter where I go in the world I could meet up with any of the Roses from my year and it would only seem like yesterday since we were apart.

I feel part of the Rose of Tralee family and expect to travel to Arizona soon to see my talented Rose of 2010, Danielle McBurnett. I hope to return to Tralee again this year, if not in an official capacity as a spectator. The crew of 2010 have had many reunions, organised secret santa, keep in touch every day via email, are having a New Years Celebration together and will continue to do so for many years!

Get involved! You won't regret it but will regret it if you don't!

Gareth Mc Greevy

Noelle Clerkin, Monaghan Rose 2010

The Rose of Tralee stands for everything that is great about Irish culture and Irish society and I am very privileged to have been able to represent the county of Monaghan in 2010. For anyone thinking about entering or putting someone forward for the 2011 selection, i cant express my excitement and encouragement enough.

Throughout a "Rose's Journey" the opportunities you are given and the memories you make are once in a lifetime. Anyone you meet that has been a part of the Rose of Tralee festivities from a local to a national level, all share the same belief. During the selections in Castleblaney and Portlaoise, it was a pleasure to meet and spend time with such lovely ladies from all the 2010 Mongahan Roses, the International Roses and each of the county Roses (not forgetting all the good looking escorts). During this year i have been able to become involved with different announcements and events from village/town fairs to local school occasions, all of which i have been delighted to be apart of!

2010 has been a great year, one which i will never forget! Becoming a part of the Rose of Tralee festivities is becoming a member of a very large family and i am very eager and excited to meet all of the 2011's newest recruits!!!!

Noelle Clerkin

Eoin Treanor, Monaghan/Texas escort 2010

I can honestly say that the seven days I spent in Tralee during the 2010 Rose of Tralee festival where the best seven days of my life to date. The one thing that really struck me from the offset was the shear size and scale of the festival, being a fairly sheltered Monaghan lad I was under the illusion that there would be a few functions here and there the night before the live RTE shows and that would be it, how wrong I was.

 As a rose you will embark on the Rose tour; this offers you the chance to see parts of Ireland you may not have gotten the chance to see before, and also meet the rest of the Roses, you will then be wined and dined in the finest of hotels throughout the county of Kerry, literally hundreds of people will be packed into the lobbies of these hotels looking for autographs and pictures, before you board the Rose bus to head off to another prestigious event. A day at the Races, Parades in front of thousands, Fashion shows, Gala Balls, Dances, Concerts, Autograph signings or indeed just a pampering session with the rose liaison team all lay in wait for the Roses in this exceptional week. Not forgetting you’ll have an escort on your arm at all times that will be fully trained in how to deal with every emergency possible, including the fashion based ones that may enough 6-8 safety pins!!

The excitement and buzz of the festival iteself is outstanding however the one thing I am really grateful for from my time in Tralee is the network of friends I have come away with, It seems like a cliché but I have no doubt that the friends I met in Tralee will feature in my life until my dying days. It’s now been approximately four months since the 2010 festivals and I can recall 13 examples of Roses and Escorts meeting up for a night out or some sort of gathering… and we still have 3 or 4 over Christmas to come! You will make bonds for life with people from every corner of the globe and every county in Ireland and that is a promise.

it’s an exceptional experience that you can not replicate anywhere else short of the Oscars and I would encourage anyone to enter and find out that feeling for themselves... So get the ball rolling and get in contact with the Monaghan Centre, best decision you'll ever make! 

Eoin Treanor

Adrienne Hussey, Texas Rose 2010

I never thought the Rose of Tralee was going to be anywhere near the experience as it turned out to be. Having the chance to be a Rose was an opportunity of a life time. I can honestly say it has changed my life in more ways than one. Of course the parades, dresses, autographs, etc. are all great perks, but it was the friends, memories, pride from my family, friends, and the people of Ireland, that was most valuable from my interaction in the Rose of Tralee. I was able to not only meet but become great friends with some of the most intelligent and personable women and men (the Roses and Escorts) from all over the world, who share similar ambitions and interests as me. The look of pride on the people of Ireland as well as my friends and family who supported me in the Rose is something I will cherish forever. I 100% would recommend to any woman in Monaghan that is eligible and interested in the Rose to partake in the Monaghan Rose of Tralee. It most certainly will not disappoint, and can open doors to a world and experience you could never imagine."

Adrienne Hussey