This weekend an Armagh Rose of Tralee is due to be selected for the first time in eight years.
The prestigious selection day will commence at 11am at Armagh City Hotel on May 25 and will see nine Orchard County entrants present their best selves to an esteemed panel of judges.
Starting with a series of individual and group interviews the ladies will then take to the stage at 7pm for on-stage interviews and performances in front of hundreds of guests.
The Armagh Rose of Tralee winner will then be selected to move forward to represent their community and county at the world-renowned Rose of Tralee International Festival – a five day celebration of Irish culture and heritage supported by over 70 Rose Centres globally.
The five-day festival from August 15 – 19 culminates in the selection of the International Rose of Tralee, a year-long ambassador role for the woman who will represent Ireland and the Festival, both locally and around the world. Ireland’s flagship family festival, the Rose of Tralee Festival plays host to five days and nights of parades, gala functions, community events, entertainment, televised Rose Selection nights and much more.
Among the Armagh entrants is Lucie Walter, proudly sponsored by The Corner House Bar; Amy O’Hanlon, proudly sponsored by Markethill Livestock and Farm Sales; Aislínn Murtagh, proudly sponsored by DBFL Engineers; Blathnaid O’Dowd, proudly sponsored by From Scruffy to Fluffy; Sinéad Heaney, raising awareness for the Northern Ireland Adoption and Foster Care Charity; Ríona Cunningham proudly sponsored by Breda Cunningham Solicitor; Erin McCormac proudly sponsored by Mortgage Solutions Lurgan; Amy Wilson proudly sponsored by Petra Carroll Hair and Aine McEvoy, proudly sponsored by Portview Fitout.
Passing on the honour to this year’s winner is the 2017 winner and “longest reigning Armagh Rose”, Nicole McKeown.
Of her own experience, Nicole said: “Being the Armagh Rose was honestly one of the best years of my life.
“I got to travel to Tralee and spend a week on tour with women from all over the world.
“I was fortunate enough to travel to Canada and New York to march in the St Patrick’s day parade! I made friends for life.
“To top it off I was selected in the final 16 and got to perform on RTE live from the dome.
“It means a lot that Armagh will be represented this year after eight years with no Armagh Rose.
“These young ladies are in for such a treat and our selected Rose will have the experience of a life time.
“The Rose of Tralee Festival represents strong Irish women – and we have nine of them lined up.
“I have been the longest reigning rose and I’m well wilted now! It’s about time we had a new one! It will be my pleasure to hand over to one of these wonderful women.”
