Cork and Kerry Rose of Tralee contestants reflect on magical TV moments

Irish Independent

2 days ago

The mood in the Meadowlands Hotel in Tralee is a mix of excitement and nerves with the crowning of the 67th Rose of Tralee just a few hours away.
Cork Rose Nancy Lehane and Kerry Rose Laura Daly showed the world why they were selected to represent their beloved counties on Monday night, and their ties to the competition are unique to them.
Nancy would often travel across the Cork-Waterford border each year to watch the festival with her cousins, and they often mentioned the idea of one wearing the sash one day.
Nancy took the plunge and, to her surprise, was selected to represent the Rebels, and her cousins from the Deise County made the journey to Tralee to support her.
'I have 48 first cousins on my mom's side, and there would have been about 12 to 14 girls watching it in Waterford, but they brought it down to Tralee this time round.
'I never expected to be here, and even sometimes I'm like 'how did I get myself here'.
'It has been surreal but unreal, and it is something I'll always look back on with pride,' Nancy said.
The Meelin woman has been described as a proper ambassador for the area by locals, and Nancy said the support shown from the people of Meelin is testament to value of community.
'It is a huge achievement for Meelin, and up in the village I am seen as everyone's daughter. We really are like a tribe up there.
'I'm delighted that the Cork Rose is from Meelin and I am delighted to represent Cork.
'If you don't have a community, you don't have much. We really need each other, especially in times like this.
'We had the parade and I think the Rose of Tralee is just testament to the community of Meelin,' Nancy said.
Meanwhile, across the Kerry border, Ballymacelligott's Laura Daly is hoping to continue a sensational summer in Kerry after the Kingdom's All-Ireland win.
The 23-year-old lives and breathes the festival and danced a number of times as a young girl, but the opportunity to wear the sash was something she could not pass up.
'I would have grown up around the festival and danced in the festival as a little girl. I worked my way up volunteering with the festival once I got to college, and then I would have choreographed the parade, which itself is a full circle moment.
'Last year, I was offered to go to MTU and work as a production assistant, and I got to see the inner workings of the festival from many different angles.
'There was a little moment of madness last year when I thought 'I would love to be part of this', and I applied in January.
'To be up there last night knowing that I had my whole behind-the-scenes team looking up at me was absolutely incredible,' she said.
Laura is especially proud of representing a part of the festival that is often forgotten as it's behind the scenes.
'It was a great moment to see them feel that they had somebody from their side of the fence up there and hopefully it created a bit of a bond between both sides of the festival because all the focus is on the Roses but there is a wonderful team behind the scenes that makes it what it is.
'There isn't one person behind the scenes – whether it is the escorts, rose buds and buddies and the production team – everybody goes out of their way to ensure that we have the most amazing experience
Laura described her time of stage as 'magic', adding: 'I do feel that every girl had their own magic moment last night.
'My connection to the festival started when I danced in the parade, and to stand on the stage last night and dance was something special.
If you told younger me that I would dance on the stage, it wouldn't cross my mind.
'The festival is so rooted into our culture in Kerry, not just Tralee, and to be able to say that I represented my county is special.
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