Sixteen young women to compete for Roscommon Rose of Tralee title
Roscommon Rose of Roscommon entrants pictured at the Rose launch in the Abbey Hotel, Roscommon. Back row: Amanda Hoey (committee), Olivia Lisle, Jane Devine, Lily Higgins, Emma Haran, Emma McManus, Michaela Keogh, Amy McManus, Elaine O’Grady, Alysha Harpur and Sharon Taylor (committee). Front, from left: Eimear O’Connor, Saoirse Webb, Claire Morgan, Roscommon Herald (main sponsor), Rachel Hastings, Roscommon Rose for 2025; Yvonne Donoghue, Roscommon Rose Co-ordinator; Grace Dwyer and Amy Conlon. Pic: Gerard O’Loughlin
The Roscommon Rose of Tralee selection night will take place in the Abbey Hotel, Roscommon tonight Saturday, March 28th.
Sixteen young women vying for the title of Roscommon Rose of Tralee 2026 will undergo a series of interviews throughout the day and evening, including individual, group, and stage interviews.
Each interview will be carefully judged by three independent judges. The night will be hosted by Fergal D'Arcy, winner of the Hot Press Readers Poll and National Radio DJ, who will also serve as the event’s master of ceremonies.
The chairperson of the Roscommon Rose Centre and coordinator, Yvonne Donohue, shared her excitement about the response to this year’s Roscommon Rose of Tralee campaign, saying: “We are absolutely thrilled with the overwhelming interest we have received for the Roscommon Rose of Tralee 2026. A large number of young women have shown interest, and we are excited to announce that 16 incredible ladies will be participating in this year’s competition. The journey leading up to our Roscommon selection has been fantastic, with an incredible sense of energy and enthusiasm from our Roses.”
One of the standout moments so far has been a memorable trip around the county in a hummer/limo, generously organised and sponsored by Tommy Taylor of Taylor Cleaning in Dacklin.
Yvonne added: “We are so grateful to Tommy for this wonderful gesture. Our roses and escorts also received great hospitality from Dalton's in Fuerty, Croghan Bar, and The Brewery, who have gone above and beyond in making this experience special.”
The chairperson also acknowledged the amazing support from local businesses and beyond, saying: “The backing from businesses has been truly heartening, and we would like to extend our sincere thanks to each and every one of them. A special thanks to the Roscommon Herald who have returned as our main sponsor this year.
"We are also grateful to our Roses' sponsors, as well as the families, friends, and communities who have shown unwavering support. To all of our Roses, we wish the very best of luck as we head into a very strong competition on the 28th. The judges have a tough task ahead, as each of our wonderful ladies brings something unique to the table. We have every confidence that whichever lady is selected, she will represent us all with pride at the International Rose of Tralee Festival in 2026.
“We’re looking forward to a fantastic night at the Abbey Hotel, and we can guarantee the atmosphere will be electric!"
Special guest for the evening will be Rachel Hastings, the 2024 Roscommon Rose, who will share her memorable experiences from her time as Roscommon’s representative. The night will feature a refreshments, a raffle, the popular "Guess the Winning Rose", a Best Poster/Banner competition, and the much-anticipated Roscommon’s Most Popular Escort award. After the announcement of the new Roscommon Rose of Tralee 2026, guests can enjoy music and dancing to keep the celebrations going.
The newly selected Roscommon Rose will go on to represent the county at the International Rose of Tralee Festival in August, where she will join the other Roses for a tour of Ireland, taking part in the festival's events and appearing in the live televised final.
Proceedings in Roscommon tonight, March 28th will begin at 7.30 p.m. with doors opening at 6.30 p.m..
