The new Rose of Tralee says you don’t need a tiara to be valuable.
24-year-old Rachel Duffy, who represented Westmeath, was named as the 62nd Rose of Tralee at the Kerry Sports Academy last night.
Many viewers and fans of the festival expressed disappointment as she wasn’t presented with a tiara.
The Rose of Tralee International Festival says they conducted a survey last year and some of the feedback indicated the public wanted to move away from the visual pageantry elements of the event, such as the tiara.
Organisers decided then not to have a crown this year.
Rose of Tralee Rachel Duffy says it’s about being yourself, and not about winning a tiara:
9-year-old Fiadh Gallahue from Millstreet was Rachel Duffy’s Rose Bud.
Coincidentally, Fiadh’s sister Saoirse was the Rose Bud for the 2019 Rose of Tralee Sinead Flanagan.
Having two winning Rose Buds has created great excitement in their family:
Photo By : Domnick Walsh © Eye Focus LTD
