‘It's still on my CV' – Former Rose of Tralee Clare Kambamettu says winning the competition ‘will be with me forever'
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Extra.ie
an hour ago
- Extra.ie
Rose of Tralee host Kathryn Thomas says her daughter and mother are 'dotty for Daithi'
Kathryn Thomas may be a sensation as she takes to the Rose of Tralee stage, but in the eyes of Kathryn's nearest and dearest, it's her co-host who is the star of the show. Speaking exclusively to bubbly presenter Kathryn said her eldest daughter Ellie and even her mother are dotty for Daithi O'Se. 'Ellie was watching last night,' Kathryn told 'Grace couldn't care less about the Rose of Tralee,' she laughed. Dáithí Ó Sé and Kathryn Thomas. Pic: Domnick Walsh 'But Ellie, my seven-year-old, is absolutely enthralled. She loves the songs and all of the style. And she loves all the rosebuds as well. So she was watching but she doesn't really care about me at all.' However, there is one performer who is the apple of little Ellie's eye. 'She's a big fan of Daithi. She loves him.' And it's not just Ellie who is dotty for Daithi; 'My mother is coming to the show tonight and she is also a mega Daithi fan.' Dáithí Ó Sé and Kathryn Thomas. Pic: Domnick Walsh But for Kathryn, the real stars are the 32 Rosebuds. 'They are all so incredibly talented. I have to say the New Zealand Rose's performance was incredible. She sang one of my all-time favourite songs. She Moves Through the Fair, and I thought she was absolutely incredible.' But Kathryn says there are more amazing acts set to grace the rose stage tonight. Kathryn Thomas. Pic: Domnick Walsh 'I've just been in dress rehearsals and there are some brilliant performances tonight as well. I also love contemporary dance. I thought the Kerry dance yesterday was amazing. We've got another one of them to look forward to tonight.' And Kathryn says she is somewhat of an accomplished mover herself and may someday be tempted to showcase her footwork on RTE's flagship show, Dancing with the Stars. South Australia Rose Beth Mooney. Pic: Domnick Walsh 'I am an incredible freestyle dancer,' Kathryn joked with 'If anybody asks me to do any sort of choreography, then I'm a disaster.' But she says she is not averse to some professional classes and may someday partake in RTE's flagship show Dancing with the Stars. Kathryn Thomas in Q102's new studio. 'I have been asked a number of times to do Dancing with the Stars, but so far I've resisted. 'But there might come a time. For now, my focus is on the Rose of Tralee and my radio show on Q102, but one day you may see me on Dancing with the Stars.'
Irish Daily Mirror
2 hours ago
- Irish Daily Mirror
New research shows that the Rose of Tralee could be another overseas winner
New research has shown that yet another overseas winner could be coming for the Rose of Tralee finals on Tuesday night. The Rose of Tralee returned to TV screens this week with 32 contestants taking to the stage over two nights. The festival is co-hosted again this year by Kathryn Thomas and Dáithí Ó Sé. Ireland has analysed every Rose of Tralee winner since 1959 to calculate the luckiest names, counties, curses and quirks heading into the 2025 festival – and the stats reveal that the odds of a first-time winner are ten times higher than Kerry finally breaking its 61-year curse. Their research showed that the name Orla tops the charts with three wins, followed closely by Geraldine, Lisa and Sinead with two wins each. None of the 32 confirmed 2025 Roses share these names, making it all but certain we'll see a fresh first name enter the record books. The initial 'T' has not appeared in a winning name since 1987, making it the most 'overdue' initial. The odds of the winner having a name that is shared by another Rose in the 2025 lineup are 6.25 per cent, as the names 'Laura' and 'Ciara' both have two Roses this year. The Rose of Tralee is hosted by Kathryn Thomas and Dáithí Ó Sé (Image: RTE/Rose of Tralee) Historically, winning Rose names have been multi-syllable, but there is a 12.5 per cent chance that a single-syllable name could win this year. The four single-syllable names in the lineup are Beth, Maeve, Leah, and Sara. Some of the cursed counties that have failed to secure a win in decades include: Kerry: The infamous Kerry drought is 61 years long (last win 1964). The Kerry Rose, Laura Daly. Clare: 57 years since a win (1968). Northern Ireland: 46 years since a win (1979). Four Roses from the region (Armagh, Down, Fermanagh and Tyrone) are competing this year. While some of the favourites, based on historical trends include: International Roses: The odds still favour an overseas winner, with international Roses historically winning 57 per cent of the time. The 2025 field is split between 15 Irish Roses and 17 International Roses. New Zealand Rose: Ciara Jo Hanlon is bidding for a back-to-back win for New Zealand, a feat only achieved once before in festival history. The teacher Rose: There are 11 Roses who are teachers or work in education, giving a teacher-type profession a 34.4 per cent chance of winning based on their representation in the field. The wild cards chasing a first-ever win: Irish counties: Carlow, Laois, Longford, Armagh and Wexford have never won the crown. International regions: Arizona, Ohio, Ottawa, Western Canada and the UAE have also never had a winner. New Zealand Rose Ciara Jo Hanlon (Image: RTE/Rose of Tralee) JJ Lee, PR Expert & Resident Kerryman at Ireland, said: 'As a Kerry man myself, I'll admit the 61-year curse is the one everyone talks about - we've been waiting since 1964 to see the crown come home. 'But that's only part of the drama. We've got ten regions chasing their first ever win and if one of them does it, they'll make history. 'Not a single entrant this year has one of the historically 'luckiest' winning names like Orla or Sinead, which means we're guaranteed a bit of drama and mystery to say the least. 'Statistically, the numbers still favour an International Rose, but in a festival that's seen everything from debut counties to back-to-back name wins, it's just too hard to call really!' The 2025 Rose of Tralee final takes place at the Dome in the Kerry Sports Academy. It will be broadcast live on RTÉ One and on the RTÉ player. Subscribe to our newsletter for the latest news from the Irish Mirror direct to your inbox: Sign up here. The Irish Mirror's Crime Writers Michael O'Toole and Paul Healy are writing a new weekly newsletter called Crime Ireland. Click here to sign up and get it delivered to your inbox every week
Irish Times
2 hours ago
- Irish Times
Rose of Tralee 2025: What does the winner get and what must she do during her year's reign?
The winner of the Rose of Tralee will bag a list of lavish prizes, but the cherry on the cake must be the €25,000 travel bursary. The winning Rose has a year to make the most of the fund and can decide how to spend it, although with stipulations. Organisers say the 2025 winner will use the money to represent the Rose of Tralee International Festival and help connect the global Irish community throughout the year. The ultimate itinerary is at the discretion of the winner – for example 2024 Rose Keely O'Grady travelled to Chicago for St Patrick's Day, to Wellington for the New Zealand Irish Dance Championships and to Poland to volunteer at the Happy Kids Foundation orphanage. READ MORE The 2023 winner, New York Rose Róisín Wiley, used her fund to attend the ploughing championship. Boasting perhaps the most intensive year of travel, Maria Walsh , the 2014 Rose of Tralee who is now an MEP, worked five days a week in Philadelphia and flew back to Ireland every weekend from August 2014 to January 2015. She also met former US president Barack Obama at the White House for St Patrick's Day in 2015. [ Rose of Tralee 2025 Review Opens in new window ] Current judge Dr Clare Kambamettu travelled to India twice during her tenure as reigning Rose of Tralee in 2010. This year the winning Rose will also drive away from the competition in a new Kia Niro plug-in hybrid SUV worth more than €40,000. The only catch is she will have to give it back at the end of the 12 months. Then there is an all-expenses-paid week-long trip around the Kingdom, with stops including Killarney and Dingle for her and a friend. The costs are covered by Kerry County Council, although it is unclear if she will have to perform Rose duties as part of this trip. The 2025 winner will also receive complimentary accommodation for her and a friend at the Meadowlands Hotel, Tralee, every time she returns to the town during the year of her reign. The four-star hotel is the home to the Roses for the duration of the festival. Another official partner of the festival, the Brush 'N' Blush hair and beauty group, will style the victor's hair free for the upcoming year any time she is in Tralee. The prize for escort of the year is a much more humble affair at €1,000 in cash, not even covering the €2,000 application fee. [ Carl Mullan on being a Rose of Tralee escort: 'I swear to god it was the hardest work I have ever done' ] However, for 2025 escort of the year, Andy Rodgers, the experience has been completely worthwhile. 'It's about making connections and meeting new people. It has just been amazing,' the Dubliner said. 'Partly my reason for applying was to show Sophia, my 10-year-old daughter, that you can take a leap our of your comfort zone.' Reflecting on the role of an escort, Mr Rodgers said: 'It's definitely hard work. It's the long days that are the hardest part of it. Looking after the Roses is the easiest part.' Of course, he said, the experiences of the escorts were not as important as those of the Roses. 'I have Ceiline [O'Meara] the UAE Rose and she was excellent,' he said. 'She made my job so easy. She was taking it all in the whole week. It's about her making memories, nothing to do with me, but once she's happy that's the main thing.'
