The 2013 Galway Rose selection takes place this Saturday April 6 at the Carlton Shearwater Hotel Ballinasloe when one lucky entrant will be chosen to represent the city and county with the same grace and courtesy as Anna De Paor has done for the past twelve months.
The show starts at 7.30pm and is hosted by Galway Bay FM's Ollie Turner and the 2013 Galway Rose will be announced around 11pm.
The finalists are as follows:
19-year-old Alison is from Ballinasloe, Co. Galway. She has just completed her second year of medicine at NUIG. Her second love in life is the performing arts. This passion was nurtured by her involvement in various local productions, particularly with the In-Step Stage School. She brought this love to her university life, where she is an active member of Dansoc and Galway University Musical Society (GUMS ). Alison has also completed Grade 8 with the Royal Irish Academy of Music. Her other pastimes include swimming, reading, watching movies and live performances and travelling.
Having Graduated from NUIG, with a first class Honours B. Comm. Charlene started her career as an accounts assistant in McCambridges of Galway. The 24-year-old from Tuam is also the chairperson of the Galway branch of the Irish Motor Neurone Disease Association and set up the first support group for patients and carers in Galway. She enjoys running, swimming, tag rugby and cycling. She completed a 720km cycling tour of Ireland for charity. Most of her free time is taken up with organising charitable events such as cake sales and table quizzes. Charlene is an avid GAA fan and has played for her local club Tuam Stars.
Ciara Concannon is 18 years of age and is a twin. Born in Seattle, she's now living in Castlegar in Galway. At present, Ciara is studying to be a primary school teacher in Mary Immaculate College in Limerick. She loves nothing more than meeting new people, playing guitar and singing. She is very outgoing and last year she captained her school hockey team. She’s always willing to go the extra mile to help others in any way that she can and has experience in working with various charities such as Childline. She is a very courageous and lighthearted young woman always ready to face challenges that come her way.
Edel works as a Category Sales Specialist with Cuisine de France. The 24-year-old from Gurteen in Galway is an avid sports fan, being a member of Pearses Camogie Club for the past 14 years. In addition to camogie, her interests include swimming, running, cycling, football, zumba, travelling and socializing. She graduated last year from GMIT with a BA in Personnel Management. Edel is a highly motivated and driven woman with ambitions to own her own business.
Eimear is a final year student studying Irish and English at NUI Galway. She also works part-time in Born Clothing as a retail assistant in conjunction with her studies. The 21-year-old from Inverin, Connemara has spent the past four Summers in Santa Barbara, California where she worked in a special needs home and summer camp. Last summer she was promoted to Director of Camp. As a native Irish speaker Eimear has worked as a prefect with her local Irish college, Coláiste Uí Chadhain, promoting the Irish language to children. Eimear also enjoys running, walking, drawing, cooking, social media and the cinema.
Kate works as a Senior Radiation Therapist at The Galway Clinic. The 26- year-old studied in Trinity College Dublin and has been working in radiotherapy for the last three years. Last year Kate travelled to the squatter camps of Rustenburg, South Africa with SERVE - an Irish development and volunteer organisation. Kate and other Irish volunteers spent one month working within the local communities. Their work was focused within HIV/Aids Health Clinics, orphaned and vulnerable children’s homes and skills training centres. Kate, who is from Athenry, enjoys walking, swimming, cooking and the cinema.
Katie Harte sponsored by Go Dutch Florists
Katie works as a part time florist at Go Dutch Flowers and Gifts in Salthill. She is also newly qualified as a primary school teacher and substitutes in various schools in Galway on her days off. The 22-year-old from Newcastle is interested in travelling and spent six weeks last summer volunteering in Kathmandu, Nepal. She also enjoys keeping fit and hopes to complete the Flora Women’s Mini Marathon this June. Katie also enjoys swimming, baking, reading and going to musicals and comedy shows.
Marisa is 22-years-old and from Bushy Park, Galway. She has just completed a Bachelor of Nursing Science (General ) at NUIG as is currently nursing at the University College Hospital in Galway. Marisa loves being surrounded by the beautiful open countryside with nature on her doorstep. She enjoys gardening, swimming, cycling, reading and walking in her spare time. Marisa is a happy, bubbly person who always sees the glass half full. Five years from now, Marissa sees herself specialising in Public Health Nursing.
Michelle is currently studying for a Masters in Arts Policy and Practice in NUIG. The 25-year-old from Corofin is a member of NUIG’s Foróige Society and volunteers in the organization’s city centre youth drop-in. In addition to her Masters, Michelle is also half-way through a Diploma in Italian Language and Culture; something that was inspired by a year living in the Mediterranean on an Erasmus programme. She works part-time in Ladbrokes, Woodquay where she enjoys the ‘craic’ and the race-day atmosphere. On completion of her Masters this September Michelle hopes to work in the charity sector as an events manager and administrator.
Róisín is 19 years of age and originates from Annaghdown. She is currently studying arts (philosophy, sociology and politics ) in NUI Galway. Róisín has been involved with Jigsaw Galway's youth advisory panel and operational management group for over two years. In addition to this she is secretary of the Ballinfoyle Mór RAPID committee and is part of the Galway Region Pioneer Total Abstinence Association. She enjoys playing football, running, and fashion. She currently holds a number of 'best dressed lady' awards. Róisín has also fundraised for a variety of organisations from Our Lady's Children's Hospital, Crumlin to Ability West.
Róisín, a 20-year-old student from Craughwell, is in her final year in NUI Galway, studying Geography and Social and Political studies. She works as an accommodation assistant in one of Galway’s most vibrant hotels - the House Hotel. She enjoys a coffee and a catch up with her friends, and like any girl, loves a bit of retail therapy. She is a huge fan of rugby and is the proud owner of a few Connacht jerseys. Roisin hopes to take the following year out with the intention of travelling to South Africa to volunteer. She has a huge interest in becoming a Speech and Language Therapist and wishes to complete a Postgraduate in Queen Margaret's University in Edinburgh.
Sinéad works in research and communications at the Irish Penal Reform Trust and as a freelance illustrator in Dublin. The 23-year-old from An Cheathrú Rua graduated with a first in Law from TCD and plans to work in human rights. Sinéad has worked at Amnesty International in youth engagement and plans to run the Flora women's mini-marathon a second time for IPRT. As well as art, Sinéad loves the outdoors, particularly her home in the wild, windswept West. She also loves reading, walking, running, fashion, yoga, movies, theatre and dancing. She is currently illustrating a book of Irish folklore and was an extra in Game of Thrones.
Síofra is a first year student of Film and Documentary in GMIT. She is also a member of Red Bird, a youth collective of the Galway Arts Centre (also her sponsor ). She was one of the founding members of the collective in September of 2011. She is currently being trained by Performing Arts School Galway and undertaking her Performers Cert after reaching honours level in Stage 6 IDTA Musical Theatre. As an actress, Síofra's most recent credits are Gráinne in the short film An t-Oileáin and 'Mayor Matilda Hyde' in PASG's version of All Shook Up, The Musical
