Tipperary to lose out on place at the Dome in 2019 in Rose of Tralee festival change-up

Tipperary will not be represented at the 2019 Rose of Tralee Festival after a revamp of the selection process by festival organisers.

Tipperary Rose of Tralee coordinator Ciaran O'Connell confirmed to the Tipperary Star that although a representative from the county will not grace the Dome in August 2019, the premier county rose in 2020 is guaranteed of a live televised appearance. 

To ensure that every Rose enjoys the ultimate positive experience during her year as her region’s ambassador, festival organisers have revamped the selection process by removing the regional qualification process and increasing the age limit.

According to the revamped rules, each centre will select a Rose bi-annually however roses representing Kerry, Cork and Dublin will continue to be selected every year.

The Executive Chair of the Rose of Tralee International Festival, Anthony O’Gara, said: “Moving from the Regional Festival (staged from 2004 to 2015) to bringing all our Roses directly to the Rose of Tralee International Festival for the past three years has been generally very positively received. There is one challenging aspect to the new format that does not sit well with any of us and that we want to address, the selection of 32 Roses from 66 for the TV Selection. Regardless of how sensitively we handle that, it is not in-keeping with our ethos or our tradition. Our focus is to celebrate and respect the passion and emotion, and indeed the time and financial investment that every Rose, her family and centre invest with us.”

Tipperary Rose of Tralee coordinator Mr O’ Connell said: "This is change but for the good and will be an even better opportunity for any young lady to join this once in a life time experience.

It is a big change to not have a Tipperary representative at the festival, but I believe it will better everyone’s experience in general and all interested ladies will now be assured of a live TV appearance with Daithi in August 2020," he said.

"I am also delighted to announce that the festival has taken in to consideration these changes may disturb some pre-existing plans for ladies nearing the age limit to enter for 2019/ 20 or even roses that just missed out on last year’s entry and have extended the age limit to 29 to aid this."  

Mr O'Connell added: “We would also like to take this opportunity to wish all our sponsors and supporters across Tipperary a very merry Christmas and a happy New Year and a reminder to spread the word, to any interested young woman who currently lives in Tipperary or to those that have come home for the Christmas period that 2020 will be their year.”

Applications are live for the 2020 selection and can be found via www.roseoftralee.ie/apply.

Interested applicants must be 18 years of age by January 1st 2019/2020 and will not have reached their 29th birthday on or prior to September 1, 2019/2020.

The Rose of Tralee International Festival will celebrate its sixtieth year running in August 2019.