UP TO 100,000 people are due to attend the Rose of Tralee festival, its organisers predicted yesterday, as the 32 Rose contestants arrived for the opening ball.
The festival, now in its 51st year, was once described rather extravagantly by the organisers as the “greatest free show on Earth” but, these days, someone has to pay. Publicans, hoteliers and other business people in Tralee have contributed €70,000 towards the aptly-named Back to Basics street entertainment programme.
The sum is 10 per cent less than what was collected last year, which was understandable given the economic downturn, said festival managing director Anthony O’Gara.
The five-day festival traditionally prided itself in providing plenty of street entertainment and has returned to that in recent years. This year, the ubiquitous Cork family band Crystal Swing, X-Factorwinner Alexandra Burke, the evergreen Brendan Shine and the Kaye Twins are on the bill.
The 32 rose contestants arrived in Tralee at lunchtime yesterday, later joined up with their escorts and were guests at a swanky rose ball in the Rose Dome last night. Up to 1,000 black-tie revellers kicked off the festivities at the €150-a-ticket ball.
Also attending was the ebullient Daithí O Sé, who will present the rose selection show on RTÉ One television on Monday and Tuesday nights. The Dingle native was chairman of the judging panel, and is now the first Kerry person to front the show, following people such as Terry Wogan, Gay Byrne, Ray D’Arcy and Ryan Tubridy.
“I believe a few of the overseas roses have been watching some clips of me to try and get a handle on my accent,” he said with a laugh.
The five judges who will pick the Rose of Tralee met the contestants for the first time yesterday and will be conducting individual and group interviews with them over the coming days, while also observing how they mix with people.
RTÉ presenter Mary Kennedy is a judge for the third year and she is joined on the panel by 2000 Rose of Tralee Roisin Egenton, Captain Mike Edgeworth, chief executive of the Pilot Training Agency and chairman of the panel, Michael Kearney, chief executive of the Carlton Hotel Group, and Padraig McGillicuddy, chairman of Holiday Tralee.
For reigning Rose of Tralee Charmaine Kenny (27), meanwhile, a hectic year has come to an end. She took a year out from her career as a management consultant to devote all her time to her duties as rose.
The Co Kildare woman, who represented London in the contest, enjoyed an “exciting, exhausting and magical” year, travelling to 11 countries, and now aims to fulfil her ambition to become a business entrepreneur.
Leading the betting for the title is Down’s Gemma Murphy (24) at odds of 11/2.
She is followed closely by Carlow and Kerry roses Jessica Adamson (23) and Veronica Hunt (27), both at 6/1.