Tipperary Rose Fiona Kennedy opens up about family, teaching and living with rheumatoid arthritis

Tipperary Rose for 2026 Fiona Kennedy brought plenty of Tipperary spirit to the stage on night two of this year’s Rose of Tralee, as she chatted to presenter Kathryn Thomas about her family, her love of adventure, her career as a teacher and her experience of living with rheumatoid arthritis.

Fiona, who hails from Clonmel, was joined in Tralee by a large group of family and friends, with her three sisters among those cheering her on.

Her sister, Orla, had even made the long journey home from Melbourne, Australia, especially for the occasion, she told the audience.

“I'd say everyone,” Fiona joked when Kathryn asked who was in the audience supporting her.

The Tipperary Rose also spoke warmly about her family's long-standing connection with Kerry. She and her sisters have holidayed in the Kingdom since they were children, spending their summers in Castlegregory.

“We absolutely love it down there,” she said, adding that she has plenty of support in Kerry as well as at home in Tipperary.

Fiona spoke about her work as a secondary school teacher at Presentation Secondary School in Fethard.

This year was particularly significant for her professionally, as she had her first Leaving Certificate class after three years of teaching, she told the audience.

She wished all her students receiving their results on Friday the very best of luck.

One of the most honest parts of Fiona's interview came when Kathryn asked her about living with rheumatoid arthritis, a condition she was diagnosed with at just 14 years of age.

Fiona explained that rheumatoid arthritis is an autoimmune disease and can often be difficult for others to recognise because it is not necessarily visible.

“I think it's important to make people aware that it's not just for older people,” she said, highlighting that younger people can live with the condition too.

Despite her diagnosis, Fiona has continued to lead an active life. She explained that she experiences flare-ups, which can be affected by stress, sports injuries and even the weather.

She joked that she can sometimes tell when bad weather is coming because her knees can swell.

After living with the condition for around a decade, however, Fiona said she has learned how to manage it and is fortunate that her current treatment works well for her.

“I'm one of the lucky ones,” she told Kathryn, praising her consultant and the treatment that allows her to continue doing the activities she loves.

Speaking about her father, Fiona told the audience the unusual role the four sisters play in their father's small construction business.

“We are his four sons when the time is right,” joked Fiona.

She then showed the audience her construction talents by hammering nails live on stage.