Rose of Tralee returns after two-year absence with an ice bath and lightsabre skills on the cards

Not even an ice bath could cool the excitement in Co Kerry as the annual Rose of Tralee festival returned for the first time in two years due to a pandemic-induced hiatus.

The streets were lined with lights, as markets, live music and family festivals took place around the town throughout the day.

Eighteen contestants took to the stage on Monday for the first night of Rose selection, displaying various skills and hobbies. The other 15 will appear on Tuesday evening, before the overall winner is crowned.

Often criticised or labelled as dated, the festival this year has been modernised and diversified.

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For the first time in its 60-year history, married and trans women have been permitted to enter the festival, while the age limit has been increased to 29. However, organisers say no married or trans women were in the festival, despite the changed rules.

[ Rose of Tralee 2022: ‘My escort is called Podge. He thinks pasta is ‘fancy’, and bright colours give him sunburn’ ]

In his 11th year presenting the festival, Dáithí Ó Sé said he thought there was scope for it to become even more inclusive in the future.

“The Rose of Tralee is an open door,” he said. “It’s made for everyone. Maybe we just need to sit down and say: Who else do we need to invite to the party?”

Ó Sé joked that he left his dignity behind in 2010 when he began to present the show, and decided to continue that trend by partaking in a few surprise “party pieces”, including getting into an ice bath.

“We all sit down and see what we can do. We want people at home saying, ‘What’s going to happen next?’,” he said. “We always try to do a big bang every year but we’re very excited to be back. You have the excitement of three years bundled into one week, and particularly the two nights of TV.”

Decent proposal

Ó Sé said there were a number of standout moments from his years of presenting, but one of the most memorable was when Molly Molloy Gambel, the New Orleans Rose, was proposed to onstage by her boyfriend in 2013; the couple now have a child together.

Opening the show was the Sydney Rose, Mairead Brennan, who goes by Maud. A nurse originally from Cork, she was representing her adopted home after moving to Australia in January 2020.

“I wanted a break from nursing, so I got a job in a salad shop [in Australia]. Then Covid happened, everything shut down, so I was crawling back to nursing. I worked in the quarantine hotels for a month and then I did my regional work, so I went milking cows in rural, rural New South Wales,” she said.

Some people might feel pressure opening the show, but Ms Brennan said it was great because it meant she could relax for the rest of the evening and take her shoes off.

[ Rose of Tralee TV review: They sing, they control falcons, they wield lightsabers ]

Ohio Rose Sarah McInerney is the oldest ever participant in the festival due to the recent criteria change. The decision to be a rose, she said, was “never in the front of my head” but after getting involved in the GAA community in Ohio, it happened naturally.

“Some of the girls on my football team had gone for the Ohio Rose before and they said it was just amazing. I was just excited to do the Ohio portion, to be honest. I never expected it go this far. It got way out of hand very quickly,” she added, laughing.

Some of the interesting talents featured include a science experiment conducted by Dublin Rose Claire Connolly, Louth Rose Emma Barry icing a cake and Jennifer Rose Waldeck, the Florida Rose, showing off her lightsabre skills.