Dubai Rose returns home to her Offaly roots
Emer Connolly
IT'S the school holidays and the Dubai Rose has returned to her Offaly roots, complete with her sash!
26-year-old teacher Rebecca Egan from Clononeybeg, Shannon Harbour, was selected in May to represent Dubai – where she lives – at the international Rose of Tralee festival in August.
She returned home last Friday to a warm welcome from her family, friends and local community where she grew up.
She is spending 10 days in Ireland before she heads off travelling for most of July. Her trip will take in Thailand, Vietnam, Cambodia and the Philippines. She will then return to Ireland in August and the preparations for Tralee will be in full swing then.
She was overjoyed with the reaction when she returned home. Her parents John and Tess greeted her at Dublin airport with a banner with the words 'Our Rose from the garden'.
“My dad has lots of rosebuds in the garden,” she explained.
Her siblings Sarah, Eoin, Ross and Daniel are all delighted that Rebecca is home to visit.
“It is absolutely fabulous to come home. Everyone has been so welcoming. There is great community support. The sense of home is extra special,” she said.
She visited her former schools St Rynagh's National School and Banagher College Coláiste na Sionna on Monday last and was delighted to meet the teachers and students including her nieces Róisín and Jana Egan in St Rynagh's.
“I did my teaching practice in the primary school and worked as an exam supervisor in the secondary school so I have great ties to both schools,” she said.
Rebecca is organising a fundraising table quiz for Special Olympics in McIntyre's pub, Shannon Harbour, which will take place on Friday, August 3.
And then it's off to Tralee where she will be supported by her family, relatives from Cloghan, Clara, Tullamore and Kinvara and several friends when she takes to the stage during the Rose festival.
“I'm so humbled to get to Tralee. It's great. I'm very excited. It's just lovely.
It is amazing to see how everyone weighs in and rallies behind me.
There is lots of shopping to be done. It's all exciting,” she said.