Rose of Tralee visits Limerick school to drum up support for event
Milford national school pupils, Aine Nelligan, Danielle O'Neill, Lucy Johnson and Elaine McGuire with the Rose of Tralee, Tara Talbot in the Castletroy school (LL)
THE reigning Rose of Tralee, Tara Talbot, visited Limerick last week on a whistle stop tour to find her successor and encourage support for the Limerick Rose selection, which takes place next March.
Limerick has had an unhappy relationship with the Rose of Tralee in recent years, with Melanie Carroll the last Limerick Rose to make it to Tralee in 2007. However it was all smiles at Milford national school last Wednesday when Ms Talbot wowed the students, who were only too keen to hear tales of the year she has had since winning the event last August.
The Limerick Rose committee resigned under a cloud last year, understood to be in objection to the county failing to have a representative in Tralee for several years, but a new organising body, the Limerick Rose Centre, has been tasked with selecting our Rose.
Denis Griffin, who also co-ordinates the Galway Rose selection, has put together a team that includes former Dubai Roses Elaine Rael and Emma Dwane - both from Limerick - to help select a Rose for Limerick. Mr Griffin is keen to look forward and accentuate the positive side of the selection process.
“I am not even dwelling on that at this stage, we are remaining positive and looking forward,” explained Mr Griffin, who is from Tralee and was an escort himself in 2005.
“There is no doubt about it, the Limerick Rose has been a tremendous event over the past couple of years and we intend to continue that and build on it and hopefully have a very successful 2012,” he added.
A graduate of Mary Immaculate College, Mr Griffin’s first stint as a teacher was in Milford national school, hence the Rose’s visit last week.
“It was lovely to be able to organise the visit and they jumped at the opportunity to have her there and they had a fantastic morning,” said Mr Griffin.
Ms Talbot also visited the Carlton Castletroy Park, where the Limerick Rose event will take place, and University of Limerick to meet potential Roses.
“There has been a huge response, we have loads of entries already, within the last week alone there has been a surge in entries and interest, and there is still time for people to apply,” he added.
For information call 087-1474100.
Email to a friend
Print this page
Looking for...
Featured advertisers
Jobs
Search for a job
Weather for Limerick
Monday 21 May 2012
Today
Cloudy
Temperature: 12 C to 18 C
Wind Speed: 17 mph
Wind direction: South
Tomorrow
Cloudy
Temperature: 13 C to 18 C
Wind Speed: 18 mph
Wind direction: South
Your view
Please sign in to be able to comment on this story.