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Irish Times
a day ago
- Business
- Irish Times
Rose of Tralee 2025 winner ‘delighted' to represent women in trades
The newly-crowned Rose of Tralee discovered a love of working with electrics while on Transition Year work experience. Katelyn Cummins (20), an electrical apprentice , said she is 'absolutely delighted' to represent women in the trade world. 'I think I am inspiring a lot of girls and I hope to continue to do so,' said the Laois Rose, who is in the third phase of her apprenticeship with Alpha Drives Ltd, which designs and manufactures gearboxes and other electrics. Some commentators on social media said it was good to have a Rose of Tralee who not only worked in a traditionally male-dominated field but was also a successful young women who wears a hearing aid. READ MORE Speaking about this, she said: 'I suppose having a hearing disability has its challenges but I wanted to make this experience about me, not my disability.' Her parents, Noel and Siobhan Cummins, are dairy farmers in Ballyouskill on the Laois-Kilkenny border. The Laois Rose took home the honour on Tuesday night at the Tralee Dome, Co Kerry. The title was conferred to Ms Cummins by the reigning Rose Keely O'Grady from New Zealand. Surrounded by journalists and flowers in Tralee Town Park, the electrical apprentice looked remarkably bright considering she was running on 20 minutes of sleep. 'Most of the [the roses] were only going to sleep when I was getting up,' she said, laughing. [ Rose of Tralee 2025: What does the winner get and what must she do during her year's reign? Opens in new window ] 'It's amazing to feel so supported by a female and girl power energy.' Photograph: Domnick Walsh/ Eye Focus LTD The Ballyouskill native said she has two years left in her apprenticeship, after which she hopes to spend a couple of years travelling, before returning to Ireland to complete an engineering degree. Some of her travel plans will be realised sooner than she originally thought, with a €25,000 travel bursary included as part of her Rose of Tralee winnings. Ms Cummins said she was looking forward to 'making new experiences and the memories of a lifetime'. She wants to travel the world, see different cultures and meet new people. She has not declared any destination yet, saying she will go 'wherever the Rose of Tralee international festival takes me'. Her status as the first ever Laois winner of the competition was news to Ms Cummins, who said: 'It's incredible. It's all the more amazing to have the title.' [ Rose of Tralee 2025 review: Another batch of warm, likeable overachievers makes for slightly plodding TV Opens in new window ] Ms Cummins added that working in a predominantly male environment meant the Rose of Tralee gave her 'a great opportunity' to embrace her 'feminine side'. 'It has been so refreshing' she said. 'I have got so much more confidence and empowerment from the other girls. It's amazing to feel so supported by a female and girl power energy. It's just been very good.' 'I think I was my true self, most definitely, on that tour. I am so excited to have 31 new girlfriends now,' she said. She paid particular homage to Wexford Rose Clíona O'Leary, who also comes from a farming background, saying they got on 'like a house on fire'. The highlight of Ms Cummins's festival was 'jiving with the Wexford Rose Clíona'. Another highlight came in the form of the Saturday night Moonlight Parade, when she welled up at the sight of 'so many people I never knew were coming down to Tralee'. If she could send a message to her younger self, it would be: 'Be confident in yourself, believe in yourself and know that you are going to be amazing in the future.'
Extra.ie
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- Extra.ie
Rose of Tralee winner reveals she's actually from a different county
While we're used to hearing how the Sydney or New York Roses are actually from Dublin or Galway, it's rare for one of the Ireland-based Roses to make a similar revelation, let alone the winner! This is the case with this year's Rose of Tralee, Katelyn Cummins, who represented Laois in the 2025 competition. The 20-year-old hails from the village of Ballyouskill, which is situated on the Laois-Kilkenny border, and when chatting on Newstalk Breakfast this morning, she revealed which side of the border she's actually on. 2025 International Rose of Tralee Katelyn Cummins. Pic: Domnick Walsh To Shane Coleman and Ciara Kelly's surprise, Katelyn responded: 'I'm… from Kilkenny.' Her connection to the Marble County wasn't necessarily hidden, as even the Instagram post about her appearance on stage alluded to it, with her link to the North Kilkenny Macra club included in the description. 2025 International Rose of Tralee Katelyn Cummins with Kathryn Thomas and Dáithí Ó Sé. Pic: Domnick Walsh It reads: 'Laois Rose Katelyn Cummins is 20 years old and comes from the village of Ballyouskill on the Laois-Kilkenny border. She grew up on a dairy farm, where her love of the outdoors began. 'Katelyn is currently in the third phase of her electrical apprenticeship with Alpha Drives Ltd and hopes to pursue an engineering degree in the future. Outgoing and adventurous, she thrives on socialising and meeting new people. 'She has a strong love for travelling and enjoys learning about different cultures. Sport and community are also central to her life. Katelyn has won two county finals playing camogie with her local club and enjoys set dancing and jiving with family and friends. Laois Rose Katelyn Cummins is selected as the 2025 International Rose of Tralee. Pic: Domnick Walsh 'She is chairperson of the North Kilkenny Macra club, which has given her the opportunity to meet people and form connections across lreland. She is honoured to represent Laois at the 2025 Rose of Tralee International Festival and looks forward to the journey ahead with her fellow Roses.' Shane joked that Kilkenny can likely claim her as well as Laois in the wake of her win on August 19, and commented on how surprised she looked to hear her name be called out as the new Rose of Tralee. She shared: 'I did not expect my name to be called out even at the Laois show selection. It was such an honour to be representing Laois and now to be representing the Rose of Tralee International Festival is an absolute dream come true. 'I think it's a bit overwhelming at the same time, but I think it'll take me a few days to get used to it.'
Irish Examiner
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- Irish Examiner
'We don't need to follow tradition': Katelyn Cummins champions women in trades after Rose of Tralee win
The new Rose of Tralee said she is delighted to raise awareness that women 'don't need to go to college' to succeed in life. Interviewed immediately after winning last night, Katelyn Cummins was asked how she felt about the attention she has received as an apprentice electrician. The 20-year-old, the first-ever Rose of Tralee from Laois, said: 'I absolutely love it. 'I think it's great to get the awareness out there that women can do whatever we want, and we don't need a statement around (it). 'We don't need to follow tradition by going to college or anything like that. 'I think it's just, I think it's amazing that I can just share that.' She added: 'I do hope to raise awareness about women doing whatever they believe they can do, and create awareness that we don't need to go to college, we can do whatever we want to do, and we don't need to follow anybody else.' Asked what advice she would give her six-year-old self, she replied: 'Be confident in yourself and believe in yourself, and know that I'm going to be amazing in future.' She agreed that labelling the Rose of Tralee festival as a Father Ted parody centred around a fictional 'Lovely Girls' competition is 'old hat.' Criticism of the festival as little more than a beauty pageant was raised on stage by RTÉ's Kathryn Thomas. 'I do think that the Rose of Tralee has been an amazing festival for the past 10 days for me and I made friends for life, and I think that's what needs to be shared more,' she said. 'We have such an incredible experience, and we'd make friendships for life, and we really, really do, and the experiences we have, the things we do, the people we meet, it's an experience like no other. 'I don't think there's anything like the rose of tralee.' Katelyn Cummins has been named as the 2025 Rose of Tralee. Picture: Domnick Walsh © Eye Focus LTD. Katelyn, who was not one of this year's favourites, appeared shocked and began crying when her name was announced on Tuesday night at the Kerry Sports Academy at MTU. Her first words after being crowned were: 'Oh my God.' Later, she said she thought she was going to fall over in shock. 'To be honest, I was like, Oh my God,' she said. 'I was just thinking of my mum (and family) straight away. 'I could see them down in the crowd. I just want to give them a hug.' She was presented with her sash by the 2024 Rose of Tralee, Kelly O'Grady, just before 11.30pm — becoming the 65th International Rose of Tralee. RTÉ's Dáithí Ó Sé and Kathryn Thomas announced the result live to audiences in Ireland and abroad, with viewers tuning in from countries including New Zealand, Mozambique, Canada, and the United States. As well as the title, she also won a world travel prize worth €25,000 and the use of a €40,000 Kia Niro Plug-in Hybrid for a year. Katelyn is from the small village of Ballyouskill on the Laois-Kilkenny border. She grew up on a dairy farm and is currently in the third phase of her electrical apprenticeship with Alpha Drives Ltd. She hopes to pursue an engineering degree in the future. On the Rose of Tralee website, she describes herself as 'an outgoing and adventurous individual who truly thrives on socialising and meeting new people.' As well as winning two county finals playing camogie with her local club, she enjoys set dancing and jiving with her family and friends. She is also chairperson of the North Kilkenny Macra club, which she said has allowed her to meet new people and build connections across Ireland.
