WITH every August comes another Rose of Tralee festival, and this year is no different.
Although some people pan the Festival as an outdated pageant, viewing figures don't lie and, on average, half a million people tune in annually to watch the crowning of the Rose. With that in mind, here are 17 things you probably didn't know about the Festival...
1. It started with a song
The Festival was inspired by a ballad of the same name. According to the Rose of Tralee, the song was penned by a wealthy protestant merchant, William Mulchinock, from Kerry who fell in love with a catholic maid, Mary O'Connor, who was in service to his parents. The difference in their social class meant they could never be together but William wrote the song about her regardless. The lyrics provide the guidelines to which the judges of the competition pick their Rose.
When I won the heart of the Rose of Tralee.
Though lovely and fair as the Rose of the summer,
Yet 'twas not her beauty alone that won me;
Oh no, 'twas the truth in her eyes ever dawning,
That made me love Mary, the Rose of Tralee.
2. It may have been thought up in a pub...
The idea of the Rose of Tralee festival comes from the Carnival Queen festival, the original annual event held in Tralee. The Carnival Queen ceased though, as mass emigration from the area meant there weren't enough people to participate. In 1958 a group of local business people met in Harty's Bar in Tralee and decided to revamp the Carnival in a way that would regenerate the town, encourage tourism and keep the racing crowds in town overnight.
The conception of the Rose of Tralee was thought up in Harty's Bar in the town. (Source: RollingNews.ie)3. It's more than just a "lovely girls" competition
Father Ted has a lot to answer for. The Festival has stated that the winning Rose is the woman deemed to best match the attributes relayed in the song: “lovely and fair”. The winner is selected based on her personality and should be a good role model and ambassador for Ireland on her travels as a Rose.
Father Ted has a lot to answer for. (Source: Wow 24/7)4. The first crowned Rose of Tralee was from Dublin
In 1959, the first winner of the Rose of Tralee was Alice O'Sullivan from Dublin. Ms O'Sullivan was 19 years old at the time of her win and worked as an air hostess. She beat four other contestants in the competition, two from Britain, one from New York and one from Tralee. Her prize for winning the Rose of Tralee was a week of presenting trophies at the Tralee races. Ms O'Sullivan returned as a judge for the 50th Rose of Tralee Festival in 2009.
Dublin Rose, Alice O'Sullivan, was the first crowned Rose of Tralee in 1959. (Source: Rose of Tralee)5. After 55 years, the Festival crowned its first lesbian Rose
In 2014, Philadelphia Rose, Maria Walsh was judged on her grace and talent, as per competition guidelines, and was crowned the 2014 Rose of Tralee. Later, Ms Walsh, who is a Boston native, announced her sexuality to the press. She said it was a ''great moment'' and hoped it opened a debate on sexuality in Ireland.
The first openly gay Rose was the 2014 Rose, Maria Walsh, pictured above at her alma mater, Griffith College Dublin. (Photo: Leon Farrell/Photocall Ireland.)6. The Festival hasn't escaped a race controversy
In 2008, London Rose Belinda Brown was a victim of horrendous online trolls as she was in the running to compete for the Rose of Tralee. Ms Brown, whose father is Jamaican and mother is from Co Antrim, brushed off the comments saying they weren't indicative of Irish people, ''Everyone is entitled to their opinion,'' the London Rose said at the time, ''but these people were clearly very misinformed about me to say that I'm not Irish when I clearly am."
The 2008 London Rose Belinda Brown, second from right, received vicious online attacks for her appearance. (Photo: Sasko Lazarov/RollingNews.ie)7. The Festival is funded by Fáilte Ireland
This year the Rose of Tralee Festival received €30,000 in funding from Fáilte Ireland, the National Tourism Authority in Ireland. According to a Fáilte Ireland spokesperson the funding is allocated after an application process in which festivals across Ireland bid for funding.
8. There's one key difference between the Rose of Tralee and other pageants...
No swimsuits! In 57 years of competition, the Rose of Tralee has never featured a swimsuit segment as the competition is not judged on physical beauty, rather every Rose must represent the ”aspirations, ambitions, intellect, social responsibility and Irish heritage” of women today.
(Via Giphy)9. Roses still can't be married though
Up until 2007, all Rose applicants had to be single. Now, however, the guidelines for applications say that Roses be unmarried, or never have been married.
No wedding rings here! While Roses no longer have to be single, applicants must not be married, or have ever been married. (Via Giphy)10. In 2008 another big rule change happened...
Unmarried mothers could also apply. In 2008, director of the Festival Anthony O'Gara said that the festival tries to ''balance out the modern world,'' and they didn't feel '' a woman is any of a less of a person just because she has a child.'' He went on to say that the Rose of Tralee is ''proud to reflect that's a part of the world we live in and we want to live in the real world.''
As of 2008, unmarried mothers can apply to be Roses. (Via Giphy)11. But there's still an age limit
Applicants for the Rose of Tralee festival must be 18 by the 1st January of the competing year, and not have turned 28 until 1st September after the competition ends.
Roses still have to be aged between 18 and 27 though. (Via Giphy)12. All beauty and all brains..
Aoibheann Ní Shúilleabháinn, the 2005 Rose of Tralee. (Source: UCD)The Festival boasts not only beautiful women, but also very intelligent women. The 1970 New York Rose Noreen Culhane went on to be the Executive Vice President of the New York Stock Exchange, and the 1985 Chicago Rose Michelle McCormack won the Edward R Murrow Award in Journalism. Our own homegrown 2005 Mayo Rose Aoibheann Ní Shúilleabháinn graduated from Trinity College Dublin with a first in Theoretical Physics. She now lectures in UCD.
13. It takes six people to decide who is crowned the Rose of Tralee
This year for the 2016 Rose of Tralee Festival, there are six appointed judges to decide on the crowned Rose of Tralee. Among them are Mary Kennedy, an RTÉ presenter; John O'Shea from Tipperary Crystal; Sheila O'Hanrahan Lawlor, the 1980 Rose of Tralee and the first winning Galway Rose; Stephen McNally. Deputy Chief Executive of the Maldron Hotel Group; Antoinette Quinn, manager of The Loop and Dublin and Cork Airports; Charlie O'Sullivan, Deputy CEO of Kerry County Council.
14. Dublin Roses have been particularly lucky...
Between 1959 and 2015, five of the winning Roses have been Dublin Roses, while New York has had four winning roses.
15. As have dark haired Roses!
Of the 57 crowned Roses we've had since 1959, a whopping 37 girls have had dark hair. So if you're a dark haired Rose from Dublin, you have a pretty good chance of winning.
16. The Roses' escorts have to go to Bootcamp
Back in June this year, the 65 escorts had to take part in an Escort Bootcamp to make sure they were Festival ready. The bootcamp was held in the Kingdom, from Dingle to Castlegregory along the Wild Atlantic Way. The men had to carry out a range tasks including a cycle over Connor Pass, a hike up Mount Brandon, turf-footing, abseiling, kayaking, surfing, ironing and sewing in order to prove they will have the stamina to be a Rose Escort.
17. A legendary Irish band got their big break in Canada courtesy of the Festival
Well, sort of. The Tavern was a popular pub in Tralee in the early 60s for ballad groups. A Canadian television crew were filming in Killarney and came to Tralee during the festival. They were directed to go to The Tavern and filmed a group performing in the pub at the time - which was subsequently broadcast across Canada. Who was the ballad group? The Wolfe Tones.
The Wolfe Tones were featured on Canadian television after playing in a pub at the festival. (Source: The Official Wolfe Tones website)