At the official media introduction to the Roses, Ó Sé spoke of how he's glad he's hosting the show again this year rather than judging, as he's done in the past.

"I'm going to do what I did last year," he said. "I had great craic with the Roses on stage, more of the same this year. Hosting the show is easy enough compared to judging it - the judges have a really, really tough decision again this year."

This will be Ó Sé's second year hosting the show which, he said, makes it easier: "Having one under your belt is great. You know what to expect. You know, I suppose, the things to watch out for."

Ó Sé also said that being from Kerry takes some of the pressure off too: "The presenters that have hosted the show before me - you're talking about Gay Byrne, Marty Whelan, Derek Davis, [Ryan]Tubridy and Ray Darcy - and to be in the same spotlight as them... But I think down there, down in Kerry, all they cared was that I was the first Kerryman. That's great, that takes a lot of the pressure off."

The Rose of Tralee airs on RTÉ One on Monday and Tuesday, August 22 and 23, at 8pm.

"They seem like a right rowdy bunch" - Dáithí

"I can't wait to see them on stage" - Dáithí

"There's some crazy Roses there, in the best possible sense of the word. They're really up for the craic" - Dáithí

"Now I know how Chris de Burgh felt, and he was only singing to one. I have 32 beautiful ladies in red" - Dáithí

"On Saturday the parade is a high point for a lot of the Roses" - Dáithí

Dáithí and the Irish Roses

Dáithí and the American Roses

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

OTTAWA'S KATE SCOTT SELECTED TO REPRESENT CANADA’S CAPITAL IN THE ROSE OF TRALEE INTERNATIONAL FESTIVAL

(OTTAWA – June 7, 2011) The Rose of Tralee Regional Finals took place this weekend in Portlaoise, Co. Laois Ireland with Canadian, American, British, and Irish Roses in attendance for four respective heats. Canadians in the audience were ripe with enthusiasm when the final Roses were announced on Monday evening. 2011 Ottawa Rose Kate Scott has been selected to go through to the televised finale in August for the Rose of Tralee International Festival.

Each year, the Festival hosts young women from all over the world who gather to celebrate their Irish heritage.  The Festival was initially conceived as a way to bring Irish descendants back to Ireland, as well as a means of boosting the local economy and regenerating the town of Tralee. It has since expanded to include centres from across the globe including Australia, New Zealand, the UAE, North America and Europe. Nearly 70 Centres participate in the Festival each year but only 32 young women make it through to the televised finale. This year, all three Canadian Rose Centres will be represented on the RTE program as the Ottawa, Edmonton, and Toronto Roses were all selected to return to Ireland in August for the Festival.

The Festival derived its name from a 19^th century love story.  William Mulchinock, a 19th century wealthy merchant from Tralee, wrote a song about his love for his maid Mary O'Connor. The song included the lyrics, "lovely and fair as the rose of summer, it was not her beauty alone that won me, oh no, ‘twas the truth in her eyes ever dawning’. As reflected in the song, the focus of the Festival is on the personal accomplishments of the Rose and her ability to act as a role model and ambassador for her centre and for the festival

Ottawa has been a part of the festival since 2009. Kate Scott was selected to be the Ottawa Rose in March 2011 and has participated in a number of public events in Ottawa leading up to the Regional Finals this month. The twenty-two year old recently completed a degree in Interdisiciplinary Health Sciences at the University of Ottawa and plans to continue with her studies, specialising in alternative/complementary medicine and obtain a doctorate in Natropathic Medicine. Kate has won awards over the years for achievements in dance, harp, and voice and was awarded the title best young composer for a piece she wrote commemorating the events of 11^th September 2001.

 The Rose of Tralee Festival takes place August 19^th-23^rd in Tralee, Co. Kerry Ireland.

Kate is attending the Maureen O'Hara Classic Film Festival while in Ireland and returns to Ottawa on June 9^th.

 

www.roseoftralee.ca

March 16, 2011

CONGRATULATIONS TO THE OTTAWA ROSE 2011 KATHERINE SCOTT

You can now follow Katherine's blog to stay informed: http://ks2011roseoftralee.blogspot.com/

National Irish Canadian Cultural Centre (NICCC) Rose Katherine Scott's relatives are scattered throughout Canada so she found her place, as friends became family, within the Irish community in Ottawa. Katherine will complete her Bachelors degree in Health Science at the University of Ottawa in the spring and hopes to continue her studies in Naturopathic Medicine eventually earning her Doctorate. Currently working as an Irish dance teacher, Katherine hopes that being sponsored as a Rose in the festival will make her dancers proud! Katherine looks forward to the opportunity to meet and network with like-minded people both in Ottawa and abroad and share their stories and her own with the world. As a Rose, Katherine will be true to her Irish heritage, true to her family, true to her friends, and perhaps most importantly, continue to be true to herself. Katherine enjoys spending her free time playing the harp, walking her dogs, travelling, and boating. "I've always prided myself on being Irish, that is the easy part - sitting back and realizing that someone thought I was deserving of a sponsorship in order to stand alongside so many esteemed young women... now that's just a blessing!". As a 5th generation Canadian, Katherine's Irish link is maternal. Her ancestors are from Corkstown, Co. Tyrone. Katherine's great great grandmother left for Canada at 22 without her parents' consent on a trip to explore the world with her best girlfriend. She ended up working for the governor general in Montreal (so the family is told) as a cook where she met her future Scotsman husband at the morning market.

March 7, 2011

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

ROSE OF TRALEE OTTAWA CENTRE IS SET TO SELECT THIS YEAR’S CANDIDATE TO SEND TO IRELAND

(OTTAWA – March 7, 2011) As the St. Patrick’s week festivities begin across the city, the Rose of Tralee Ottawa Centre prepares to select this year’s Ottawa Rose who will be a candidate to represent the Nation’s Capital in the 2011 Rose of Tralee International Festival in County Kerry, Ireland.

Each year, the Festival hosts young women from all over the world who gather to celebrate their Irish heritage. The Festival was initially conceived as a way to bring Irish descendants back to Ireland, as well as a means of boosting the local economy and regenerating the town of Tralee. It has since expanded to include centres from across the globe including Australia, New Zealand, the UAE, North America and Europe.

The Festival derived its name from a 19th century love story. William Mulchinock, a 19th century wealthy merchant from Tralee, wrote a song about his love for his maid Mary O'Connor. The song included the lyrics, "lovely and fair as the rose of summer, it was not her beauty alone that won me, oh no, ‘twas the truth in her eyes ever dawning’. As reflected in the song, the focus of the Festival is on the personal accomplishments of the Rose and her ability to act as a role model and ambassador for her centre and for the festival.

Before the final Ottawa selections at the residence of the Irish Ambassador hosted by CTV’s Michael O’Byrne, this year’s Rose candidates will participate in various activities including the St. Patrick’s Day Parade. Led by Ottawa’s 2010 Rose, Laura Hay, the young ladies will tour around meeting the groups and organizations who are part of Ottawa’s thriving Irish community. The winning Rose will be selected by a panel of judges and will receive an all expenses paid trip to Ireland to represent the Ottawa Centre in the Rose of Tralee Regional Finals in County Laois. If the Ottawa Rose successfully makes it through Regionals, she will then return in August for the Rose of Tralee International Festival in County Kerry, Ireland.

The final selections on March 13 are open to the public and tickets can be purchased online at the Ottawa Rose of Tralee website: http://www.roseoftralee.ca/