Olive Farrelly, Offaly County Council Tourism Officer, Rachel Duffy, Rose Of Tralee and Mark Connolly, Director of Services Offaly County Council at the Launch of the Offaly Rose of Tralee 2023 in Áras an Chontae, Tullamore. Photos: Ger Rogers Photo.

Offaly Rose competition returns after five-year break

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Cllr Tony McCormack Leas Cathaoirleach Offaly County Council and Rachel Duffy, Rose Of Tralee at the Launch of the Offaly Rose of Tralee 2023 in Áras an Chontae, Tullamore. Ger Rogers

Deirdre Verney

Published: Fri 10 Mar 2023, 3:19 PM

Last updated: Fri 10 Mar 2023, 6:03 PM

All 32 contestants in the Rose of Tralee will visit Offaly on their journey to Tralee in August, the launch of the Offaly Rose of Tralee was told this week.

The Offaly Rose of Tralee competition also returns this year after a five-year break and applications are now being invited by the organisers.

Offaly County Council will support and draft an exciting itinerary as part of the International Rose kindly hosted by County Arms Birr and the local Offaly tourism industry.

The visit to Offaly will showcase all that county Offaly has to offer where 32 new Roses meet for the first time and enjoy adventures together, creating memories that last a lifetime.

Offaly County Council is delighted to support this year’s Rose tour. Offaly County Council’s Tourism Officer Olive Farrelly commented: "We are very excited to have the Rose Tour visit us in August and it’s a real pleasure to be involved. We are currently working on an itinerary where the Roses will get to experience many of the wonderful sites and attractions, we have to offer visitors. I’m sure the Roses will get an ‘Offaly’ great welcome everywhere they go. We aim to make their trip to Offaly a memorable one!’

Lyn Moloney, Offaly Rose Co Ordinator added: “We at the Offaly Rose Centre are inviting all interested girls between 18 and 29 years old to reach out and put themselves forward to enter this year’s Offaly Rose selection. The festival is rolling out a programme to engage with communities across Offaly over the next three years, to build a structure of multiple local events in communities across the county. Our focus will be to collaborate with those communities to hold Rose Selections, and through that process to support community fundraising in each of those areas. As a new initiative we are inviting GAA, camogie Clubs, societies and local communities to partner with the Offaly Rose Centre and participate in local events” The Offaly Rose Selection will take place this year on Saturday, April 29 at the Tullamore Court Hotel. Organisers are delighted to have the superb Tullamore Court Hotel as our hospitality sponsor and are very grateful to Philip O’Brien and his staff for their support.

The 2023 Rose of Tralee International Festival will take place from August 18th – August 22nd. The festival team are presently planning a host of amazing events that traditionally take place in Tralee town during this period, inclusive of lights, parades, family entertainment, street performance and much more.

For further details please contact Lyn on 083 463 1611 or visit the Offaly Rose on any of their social media platforms. Applications to enter the 2023 Rose of Tralee are now officially open. Visit. www.rosetralee.ie for full details.