Maria Walsh, the Rose of Tralee from Shrule, has travelled more than 65,000 miles (more than the earth’s circumference! ) since being crowned in the Dome in Tralee last August.
Ms Walsh, who represented her adopted home of Philadelphia in the competition, is setting off on a national tour on Monday to help the festival organisers to encourage more young women to take part in the event.
The fashion industry professional said her journey since becoming Rose of Tralee has been “extraordinary”.
“It has been a busy few months, meeting people on my travels to Ireland, India, and South Africa, and on all of these journeys I have shared my wonderful experiences of the Rose of Tralee International Festival.
“I’m looking forward to welcoming many more people into the Rose of Tralee family over the coming weeks and months.”
