MAYO Rose Hannah Ferguson is rallying her supporters to follow her to Portlaoise, for the Rose of Tralee Regional Festival from this weekend. It is a major tourism event on the Irish festivals calendar attracting 60 Roses, their families, friends, and festival-goers from Ireland and around the world.
Rose of Tralee host Dáithí Ó Sé will interview each of the 60 Roses over three nights before two judging panels select 23 Roses to go forward to the International Festival in Tralee next August.
The 2014 Mayo Rose, Hannah Ferguson, said: “It’s been a wonderful few weeks since being selected as the Mayo Rose and the next stop is Portlaoise for the Regional Festival. I am really excited to see what’s in store for the weekend. I am most looking forward to meeting the other 59 Roses and Dáithí Ó Sé.”
Each of the 60 Roses has her own story to tell, yet they are connected by their Irish heritage and they are all outstanding ambassadors who exemplify the true spirit of modern young Irish women.
Throughout the June Bank Holiday weekend in Laois, the Roses will take part in three selection nights at the Portlaoise Heritage Hotel, enjoy an Irish music evening at the Maldron Hotel Portlaoise as well as a vintage car parade, funfair, street disco, and a visit to the magnificent Castle Durrow.
Roses representing 29 counties in Ireland, 13 regions in the United States of America, Scotland and eight major cities in England, Melbourne, Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Bahrain, Oman, Canada, Luxembourg, and Germany will all take part in the Regional Festival.
Twenty three Roses will go forward to the Rose of Tralee International Festival where they will be joined in August by Roses from Kerry, Cork, Dublin, Sydney, New Zealand, Darwin, Perth, Queensland and South Australia.
This year’s Rose of Tralee International Festival will take place from August 15 to 19. For details on how to book tickets for all Rose of Tralee events in Portlaoise and Tralee, visit www.roseoftralee.ie
