As I sat and watched the Rose of Tralee 2013 being crowned last night I got to thinking about how much this festival has been a part of Irish Life over the last 50+ years. It’s the TV event of the summer and children all over the country are allowed to stay up late to watch the Rose of Tralee. I think every girl in Ireland at some point aspires to one day compete in the Rose of Tralee – a more attainable dream than that of popstar or princess perhaps? For the girls that do get to live the dream it is a whirlwind week of fun and a chance to meet with girls from all over the world, all with roots on our small island of Ireland. I love to hear the stories of how the girls have ended up in far flung corners of the globe. Some are studying and working abroad while others are second and third generation Irish for whom this can sometimes be their first trip to Ireland.
If you are lucky enough to attend the Rose of Tralee Festival don’t expect to get much sleep. There is always an exciting and full program of events with live music and dancing on the streets of Tralee, a food and craft market, workshops, roadshows, sessions and much much more. For more information about next years Rose of Tralee Festival visit www.roseoftralee.ie
