THE 2019 OTTAWA ROSE IS KATHLEEN ZUK!
Kathleen is a graduate from the John Molson School of Business with a Major in Finance, and Minor in International Business. Born in Montreal, Kathleen now calls Ottawa home while working for Export Development Canada.
Kathleen is a proud GAA woman with roots in County Monaghan. She was instrumental in building the Montreal Shamrocks women’s gaelic football team in 2013 and was honoured to have been selected as an ambassador for Montreal’s Irish community as a United Irish Societies Princess for the 2014 St. Patrick’s Day parade.
Kathleen is currently a member of the Ottawa Gaels Gaelic Football Club and is inspired by the strength, confidence and determination of the senior ladies team. Recognizing the ability of the GAA to welcome and connect, Kathleen has always sought out a football team wherever she has lived. She is grateful to her sponsor Saint Brigid’s Centre for the Arts for their continued support and encouragement.
2019 Ottawa Rose applicants
Traleena, a PhD student at the University of Ottawa, is a Renfrew County native with Cork roots. The recipient of Carleton University’s 2018 Chancellor’s Medal, awarded annually to a graduating student for academic achievement, she graduated with a degree in Psychology, with a concentration in Forensic Psychology and a minor in Law. She hopes to someday be a clinical psychologist.
Traleena’s hobbies include Irish dancing and singing. Her family instilled a great sense of pride in her Irish heritage. Traleena’s grandfather, who emigrated to Canada from Ireland, passed away the year before she was born. He told Traleena’s mother that if she had a daughter, she should be named Tralee because there was no Rose more beautiful than the Rose of Tralee.
Traleena is thrilled to be this year’s Irish Society of the National Capital Region Rose and has enjoyed attending various events across the city throughout Ottawa’s Irish Festival.
Sarah is from Ottawa with roots in Roscommon and Offaly. She is a student at Carleton University, studying Engineering Physics, with the goal of becoming a theoretical physicist. Through her work, she hopes to help revolutionize Canada’s energy industry. She is passionately devoted to creating better opportunities for Canadians who live in poverty.
Sarah is an accomplished harpist, placing first at the provincial competition for the Ontario Music Festivals Association. When she is not competing, she enjoys playing at fundraisers, retirement homes and hospitals in order to bring the gift of music to others. She is a member of her church's choir and through her hard work has earned the position of lead soprano.
Sarah believes that Ottawa's diversity is what keeps the city vibrant and inclusive - through her Irish heritage, she is proud to be a part of its cultural fabric.
A Montreal native, Darragh is an actress with Haus of Marc Talent. She has completed a degree in Theatre from Dawson College and and Undergraduate Degree in Irish Studies & Western Society and Culture from Concordia University. Her Irish roots hail from County Leitrim and Cavan.
Darragh has twice been distinguished as a Princess of the Montreal St Patrick's Day Parade, by the United Irish Societies of Montreal.
She had the opportunity to tour with an all- female- cast for Repercussion Theatre’s Shakespeare-in-the-Park production Julius Caesar. Each summer over 13,000 people gather in parks in and around Montréal so she was delighted to be able to bring the magic of live theatre to onlookers of all economic and cultural backgrounds, and to work with an organization whose core values include: artistic excellence, social relevance and accessibility. Darragh is proud to represent Montreal’s vibrant Irish community throughout the Ottawa Rose selection thanks to her sponsors: Repercussion Theater, Talking Dog Productions and the School of Irish Studies Concordia.
Kathleen is a graduate from the John Molson School of Business with a Major in Finance, and Minor in International Business. Born in Montreal, she now calls Ottawa home while working for Export Development Canada.
Kathleen is a proud GAA woman with roots in County Monaghan. She was instrumental in building the Montreal Shamrocks women’s gaelic football team in 2013 and was honoured to have been selected as an ambassador for Montreal’s Irish community as a United Irish Societies Princess for the 2014 St. Patrick’s Day parade.
Kathleen is currently a member of the Ottawa Gaels Gaelic Football Club and is inspired by the strength, confidence and determination of the senior ladies team. Recognizing the ability of the GAA to welcome and connect, Kathleen has always sought out a football team wherever she has lived. She is grateful to her sponsor Saint Brigid’s Centre for the Arts for their continued support and encouragement.
Brittany is a graduate of Nippising University, with a Bachelor of Business Administration, double-streaming in Marketing and Organization Behaviours. She is now a Commercial Account Manager at the Royal Bank of Canada in Ottawa. A native of Carp, her Irish roots hail from Antrim, Cavan and Cork.
Brittany is the proud founder of the Carleton County Junior Farmers - an organization that helps to build young leaders in the community and in the agriculture industry.
Brittany is incredibly grateful for the unconditional support provided by her community - a second family, who is always willing to lend a helping hand. In return, she’s enjoyed supporting her local 4H club through guiding, coaching and mentoring younger members.
She’s delighted to be the Goldie Mohr Ltd Rose at this year’s Ottawa Rose Selection
Sydney is a Concordia University graduate, where she completed a B.A in Human Environment. Following her move last fall, she is enjoying living and working in Ottawa as a law clerk at Gowling WLG. Sydney’s Irish roots hail from County Down.
Sydney feels privileged to have she spent time volunteering in Mexico, building houses for families - an experience that has inspired her to pursue her dreams and make a difference in the world.
She is a former Queen and Princess with the Châteauguay & Valley Irish Heritage Association and has also been heavily involved across Montreal’s Irish community, including a two-time princess through the United Irish Societies annual event.
Sydney has enjoyed participating in various events leading up to the Ottawa Rose selection as our D’Arcy McGee’s Rose.
Shannon is an Ottawa-born, full-time psychology student at Carleton University. She is a member of Carleton’s prestigious ‘Golden Key Society’ - a status awarded to students ranking in the top 15% of their given program.
Shannon is an accomplished Irish dancer with Sue Fay Healy Irish Dance Studio. As dance has helped her to develop self-confidence, discipline and the value of hard work, and has given her the strength to overcome obstacles, she has begun mentoring dancers as a way of sharing her experiences and passion with others.
Despite it being decades since her ancestors emigrated from Cork, Shannon admits she is unabashedly Irish-Canadian. She embraces her heritage through dance, and through attending Ottawa Irish community events.
Samantha lives and works in Montreal as an Airport Sales Agent for Air Canada. She graduated from Concordia University with a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science. She is passionate about her community and Irish heritage, which can be found in County Monaghan.
She studied abroad for a year in Ireland at NUI Maynooth, as part of an academic exchange - even getting involved in the musical theatre scene while there. In 2016, Samantha was honoured to represent the Montreal Irish community as the Queen of their 193rd St. Patrick's Day Parade.
Samantha is thrilled to be participating in the 10th anniversary Ottawa Rose selection thanks to her sponsor, the St. Patrick’s Society of Montreal.
Kathleen is a Montreal-born student at McGill University. Her Irish heritage stems from her maternal grandparents who emigrated from counties Antrim and Galway.
Kathleen dances with the Moran Academy of Irish dancing which is operated by her family. This past fall, she medalled at the Great Britain Irish Dancing Championships in Brighton, UK and hopes to eventually compete at all major overseas competitions.
Kathleen fills in as a part-time substitute teacher at her local school, and loves working with children. She is passionate about her studies in Education and was honoured to have her poem published by the Canadian Institution of Poetry in their 2017 anthology, “Passages of the Heart.”
Kathleen looks forward to teaching full-time following her graduation next year.
Shaeleigh is a full-time science student at John Abbott College. She is a former dancer with the Bernadette Short School of Irish dance, and now works as a soccer coach and referee for the towns of St. Lazare and Hudson in Quebec.
Participating in sport has given Shaeligh a positive outlook on life and has prepared her to face any challenge at hand. She believes that sport teaches and builds many essential life skills including leadership, how to be a team player, and how to maintain a sense of optimism. She hopes to continue her education in order to become a neurologist, with a specific focus on cancer research.
Shaeleigh was honoured to have been selected as the 2018 Queen of the Hudson St. Patrick’s Day parade. She is proud of her Irish heritage, found on her maternal side in counties Antrim and Cavan.
Originally from Co. Louth, Michaela moved with her family to Ottawa at the age of 11. She is a full-time student at the University of Ottawa, pursuing an Honours Bachelor of Social Sciences, with a Major in Criminology and a Minor in Law.
She was elected President of the CASCO Charity Organization - which is a student-led not-for-profit organization based at the Telfer School of Management - University of Ottawa. CASCO fundraises year-round for the Children's Hospital of Eastern Ontario (CHEO). The funds raised are used to purchase everything from stethoscopes to colouring books. This opportunity has allowed Michaela to be a leader and mentor for over 40 executive team members.
Michaela and her family are heavily involved across Ottawa’s Irish community through various events and through the Éire Óg Hurling Club.
Kathleen is an Aquatic Supervisor for City of Dorval, Quebec and is currently in the last stages of her application process for Canada's federal police force - the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP). She hopes to pursue a career in law enforcement, justice, and eventually, international security.
In 2017, Kathleen graduated from McGIll University with a Bachelor of Arts, Majoring in Political Science and Minoring in Hispanic Languages and Culture. While attending University, Kathleen was also a member of McGill’s varsity rowing and water polo teams. She completed a summer semester in Florence, Italy studying the politics of media regulations, and had the opportunity to attend conferences across Rome and Sienna.
Kathleen was selected as the 2018 Queen of Montreal’s St. Patrick’s Day parade and is a proud Irish-Canadian with roots in counties Armagh and Down.
2018 Rose of Tralee - Kirsten Mate Maher and 1979 Rose of Tralee - Marita Marron - Photo: Irish News.
Thank you to our 2017 Headline and Selection Weekend Sponsors
