RTÉ broadcaster Carl Mullan said being Rose Escort was ‘hardest work he's ever done'

Irish Independent

19 hours ago

The presenter, who currently hosts the 2FM Breakfast alongside Roz Purcell and Aisling Bonner, was a Rose Escort in 2016.
He accompanied two Roses, Scotland and Donegal, as the contest had 65 Roses that year.
Mullan said he applied to be a Rose Escort as a joke when he was a reporter on RTÉ 2FM.
"We were thinking we'd send it in, and it's just going to come back as a straight rejection. But I did the online application. I got called for an in-person interview, and then they said: 'Look, you've been accepted as an Escort',' he said.
'Everyone thinks that those lads are down here for a jolly and that they're doing nothing. I did it once, never again. It was way too much work than I was able for, I was exhausted after doing it.
'I swear to God, it was like the hardest work I've ever done. I remember you'd get to bed at two o'clock in the morning, having just been fulfilling your Escort duties, and then you'd be up at seven in the morning.
"Everyone thinks we're off having the craic in town. I was like: 'Where's the time for this?' There is none. But it was lovely, just getting to know all of the people, and seeing the inner workings of the Rose of Tralee,' he added.
He said being a Rose Escort 'wholeheartedly' changed his perspective on the festival.
'Most people's experience of the Rose of Tralee is just watching the TV show. But when you're down here, you realise it's so much more than that.
'You realise just how far-reaching it is, and just how it plays such an important role in tying people back to not just Tralee, but to Ireland, and tapping into their Irish roots, and being proud of whatever Irish heritage they might have.
'There's an awful lot going on. Anything that brings people a bit of joy, let's do more of it. When you're going through the briefs of the Roses, there's just some incredible women there and what they're doing and the stories they have to tell.
'That's a really important part of the Rose of Tralee as well. It's just telling amazing stories and giving people a platform to tell those stories. So that, for me, is what the Rose of Tralee is,' he added.
The Dubliner was recently announced to take over the role of master of ceremonies at both live selection nights after Will Leahy stepped down after 20 years.
Speaking to the Irish Independent ahead of the first selection night and his debut as master of ceremonies, he described Leahy as an 'absolute pro' and a 'legend'.
'To follow someone like Will, it's a great honour. It's the biggest thing,' he said. 'Everything you need to know about Will Leahy is the fact that he was the first person on the phone to me, and he was giving me all the tips, all the pointers, all the banana skins.'
'Knowing that you have someone like that on your side and helping you along the way and giving you advice is absolutely amazing.
'I'm just really excited for it now, especially now that I've arrived in Tralee, you can get a sense of the buzz around the place.'
RTÉ presenter Will Leahy announced his decision to step down on social media on Friday.
In a post on X, he wrote: 'After 20 years as the announcer/social media presenter on the Rose of Tralee, I sadly won't be at the show this year.'
'I am going to miss the annual mad summer camp that I have been honoured to be a part of for all these years.
"I want to wish Carl the best of luck in the job – he will be amazing, and I have left post-its all around the desk just in case. Here's looking ahead to his 20 years, and we can compare notes in 2045,' he added.
Mullan said he always watched the Rose of Tralee at home with his two sisters when he was younger.
'It was always a big TV moment of the year in our house. Along with the Toy Show, one of those things where if you're ever talking to friends or family from abroad, and you're trying to explain to them, you end up being like: 'Just watch it for yourself. You won't get it unless you see it'.
'I have two sisters, so it was a big thing in the house. So, unfortunately, my mum was disappointed, and she never got a Rose, but she got an Escort at one of the three of us,' he added.
The presenter said he 'just wants to do a good job', adding it's 'not about him' but about the Roses.
'That's a very important part of the role. But I think there's definitely got to be points where I'll try and have a little bit of craic,' he added.