Latest news with #65thRoseofTraleeInternationalFestival
The Irish Sun
6 days ago
- Entertainment
- The Irish Sun
RTE star reveals ‘love the top job' presidency aspirations as Rose of Tralee pal offers ‘brilliant in the role' backing
Daithi and Kathryn were joined by 32 women from around the globe to launch the 65th Rose of Tralee International Festival ALL ABOARD RTE star reveals 'love the top job' presidency aspirations as Rose of Tralee pal offers 'brilliant in the role' backing IT was all hands on deck for the Rose of Tralee launch today — with presenter Daithi O Se using the boat party to drop anchor on talk of running for president. The popular Kerryman, on board the MV Cill Airne with his show co-host Kathryn Thomas and 32 Roses, said he would 'love the top job' — but not just yet. Advertisement 5 The Rose of Tralee International Festival launched on the MV Cill Airne in Dublin Credit: Domnick Walsh Eye Focus 5 Germany, Sarah Ann Fritz, Queensland Rose Siobhán Edwards, Arizona Rose Coleen Kelehan-Pierson and U.A.E. Rose Celine O'Meara Credit: Andres Poveda 5 Some 32 International Roses are taking part in this year's festival Credit: Andres Poveda Backing her pal, Kathryn told The Irish Sun: 'Daithi is a man of the people. Everybody loves Daithi — he is so Irish and would be brilliant in the role.' Quizzed as to why she thought he'd be good for the job, Daithi jumped in: 'Because he's standing next to me!' But anyone thinking that the 49-year-old was only joking about running for the Aras got a shock when Daithi said it could really be on the cards. Advertisement Daithi told The Irish Sun: 'It's something that everybody who is in the public eye, or a public servant, should at least think about it. 'It's the top job in the country, you are an ambassador for the country and a custodian of the constitution. 'To turn around at this stage and say I wouldn't be interested would be wrong. While ruling himself out of a run this November, Daithi added: 'It won't be this year. Advertisement 'Will I be interested in seven years? You never know.' Asked if he would endorse any of the 2025 contenders, he jokingly hinted at his own future run, saying: 'No one has approached me to run this time but I wish them all luck.' KERRY GOLD Today, Daithi and Kathryn were joined by 32 women from around the globe to launch the 65th Rose of Tralee International Festival. TV coverage of the event has always been a gentle affair with Roses showing off their party tricks — until the 2016 event when the stage was invaded by a Fathers 4 Justice campaigner. Advertisement Daithi admitted: 'As it happened once you are always afraid and concerned it might happen again. At the time I thought it was some prank they hadn't told me about. 'Why didn't they tell me about this? Then it became apparent that it wasn't a prank at all, it was very serious.' The on-stage intruder turned out to be burly campaigner Matt O'Connor who was dressed as a priest. Quizzed by The Irish Sun if he could have 'had him', Daithi told us: 'I wouldn't want to comment or encourage anybody to test my wrestling skills live on TV.' Advertisement The Today Show host said the gentle nature of the annual pageant was changed forever by the unwanted stage invader. Daithi added: 'That was the beauty of the thing — there were security people there but no one thought such a thing was possible. 'But once it happened, the alert went up and we have all been on our toes since it happened.' He added: 'I don't think it will ever happen again because people are aware these things can happen and have to be dealt with.' Advertisement LIVE TV PREP The people with the most important task on the night are Daithi and Kathryn, whose jobs are to reveal the personalities, hopes and dreams of the 32 Roses as they interview them on live TV. Kathryn said: 'The biggest problem we have is trying to condense 25 or 26 years into a seven-minute interview. 'That's where the real fun and games happen. 'Right now the girls can't believe they are here. But they will be different women after a week spent with this sisterhood. Advertisement 'They will be behaving as if they have been on TV for years.' Daithi added: 'The Roses themselves — and it is them — they're the backbone of this whole show. 'It's the stories they bring, that's what makes it different every year.' CHANGING WITH SOCIETY The presenter, who has hosted the competition since 2010, said that throughout the years the pageant reflected the massive changes in women's lives in Ireland. Advertisement He added: 'If you went back to the 70s, you'd get an idea of what Irish women were doing socially, when it comes to work, travel and so on. 'Now in 2025, we have electricians, we have occupational therapists, we have forklift truck drivers, we have farmers, we have everything. 'These women are all educated, these women are well-travelled and they've done so much. I read their CVs and it puts my own BA in history to shame.' Despite the fun atmosphere, mum-of-two Kathryn revealed that it can be hard on some of the Roses touring around Ireland this week if they have left their children at home. Advertisement She said: 'It's tough being away from a one-year-old but it shows how much the girls want to do it. 'The Armagh Rose (Erin McCormac) has a one-year-old at home. 'She entered the competition six months ago, and when she won, she asked, 'Has anyone ever backed out of The Rose of Tralee?' Now she's in it and I think it's amazing.' Daithi said: 'The Rose of Tralee is like that Eagles Song, Hotel California, 'You can check out any time you like, but you can never leave!'' Advertisement The presenter cheekily revealed he would be hooking-up with Kathryn 'in her hotel room' during their stay in Kerry. Kathryn explained: 'I'm going to do my Q102 Morning Show from down there. So because we don't have a studio, I'll be interviewing Daithi in my hotel room.' THE Rose of Tralee festival will run on Monday and Tuesday night, August 18 and 19, and is broadcast live on RTE One. 5 Daithi O Se and Kathryn Thomas steered the ship at the launch of the 2025 Rose of Tralee International Festival Credit: Andres Poveda 5 The Rose of Tralee will air on Monday and Tuesday from 8pm on RTE One and on the RTE Player Credit: Andres Poveda
RTÉ News
6 days ago
- Entertainment
- RTÉ News
Rose of Tralee: "I love the empowerment that it brings to women"
Presenters Dáithí Ó Sé and Kathryn Thomas made waves in Dublin today, climbing aboard the MV Cill Airne to launch the 65th Rose of Tralee International Festival. Celebrating Irish identity in its many forms, the five-day festival will highlight the talents, interests and ambition of modern women living in both Ireland and abroad. We caught up with the Carlow Rose, Queensland Rose, and Western Canada Rose to find out more. Carlow Rose: Katie Ryan Unlike many of the Roses, yoga teacher Katie Ryan had no familial connection with the festival, but was drawn to it through her community nonetheless. "I got involved because there is a pub at home that I teach yoga in," she explains. "They wanted to put somebody forward to be the Carlow Rose and asked if I would do it. I was a little bit unsure, I didn't even know applications were open, but I thought, 'they've been so good to me with my business, I would love to give back to them'." Throwing herself into the deep end, Katie says she's still "in shock" to be competing, but believes that her experiences in solo-travel and self-employment have emboldened her to take on new challenges. "I think because I've done a lot of solo travel in my life, it's got me ready for adventures and mixing with new groups of people and joining new communities." "I love the empowerment that it brings to women," she says of the festival. "It builds everyone up in such a positive light. I think it really helps all of the girls to work on their self-confidence and their self-worth, and that's something I'm really passionate about." Queensland Rose: Siobhan Edwards At the other end of the spectrum we have Siobhan Edwards, a 23-year-old Australian who has been dreaming about being a Rose since childhood. "I've been involved in the Rose of Tralee my entire life," she says, beaming. "My mum was a past Rose. She was the 1989 Queensland - then Brisbane - Rose, so I've been going to the Queensland selection ever since I was about six years old." "It's been the biggest source of connection to my Irish heritage and the Queensland Irish community. I've always known that I wanted to be a Rose. I think seeing the women get on stage every year to represent who they are, and being very confident in that, while speaking about their Irish heritage at the heart of all that - it's been such a huge source of inspiration for me." "It's a dream come true," she adds, noting that the experience so far has exceeded expectations. "The Rose of Tralee is an inter-generational family festival. I think having it be something I've grown up with - and grown up within - I'm really excited to show that it's something that doesn't stop. I've always been in awe of it, and I think it's a festival that has a place in modern society and is a celebration of modern Irish women." Western Canada Rose: Ciara Confrey Originally from Newbridge, Co Kildare, Ciara moved to Calgary, Canada, when she was 15 years of age and lives there to this day. With encouragement from her mother ("Granny would be thrilled!"), the 26-year-old decided to connect back with her Irish roots, not only for herself but for her young daughter. "I have a one-year-old daughter, so I wanted to show her that you can do whatever you want to in your life," she says. "It doesn't matter what age you are or where you are in the world, you can do whatever you like." "She's like an eight-hour flight away from me right now," she adds. "The pressure is on! The pressure is on. But no, when she's five or six, I can show her the videos and she'll be like, 'mammy, mammy, mammy, you're on the telly'. I can't wait for her to know what this is and to know where she comes from, where her mammy comes from, and just to connect her a little bit to the Irish roots." The Rose of Tralee televised event will take place on Monday, 18 & Tuesday, 19 August from 8pm - with a break for the Nine O'Clock News and resuming at 9.35pm - live on RTÉ One and RTÉ Player.
