2015 Luxembourg Rose, Aedammair Ní Chiardha;

The closing date for contestants to enter the 2018 Luxembourg Rose has been extended from 31 January to 12 February 2018; young women who may be originally from Ireland, or are of Irish descent, may apply online ahead of this year’s Luxembourg Rose Selection and a chance to win an all-expenses paid trip to Ireland next August.

The Rose of Tralee, Dr Jennifer Byrne recently teamed up with RTÉ’s Rose of Tralee Presenter, Dáithí Ó Sé to launch the search for her successor who will be crowned in the Festival Dome on Tuesday 21 August 2018.

Dr Jennifer Byrne, the first ever Offaly Rose to take the title, said: “All I can say to any young woman is to ‘go for it and apply!’ The Rose of Tralee international Festival has truly been the most incredible experience of my life and I hope to encourage as many young women as possible to take part and become their local Rose. I guarantee them they will make incredible friends and have an amazing experience. I’ve thoroughly enjoyed my year as the Rose of Tralee so far and am really excited for what’s to come. Many people think that the Rose of Tralee festival is just one week long and they don’t realise that the Roses and Rose Escorts have so many incredible experiences throughout the whole year. I’ve so many more exciting times ahead and I’m really looking forward to meeting the 2018 Roses who will be selected in the coming months.”

The desire to be the next Rose of Tralee is stronger than ever with over 4,000 women entering selection events around the world since 2014. Jennifer was one of the 502 people who took part in qualifying selections in Ireland last year, while another 500 women entered selections in the USA, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Hong Kong, Britain, Europe and Middle East in 2017.

Rose of Tralee regional selections will take place from February to June all over the world and anyone interested in entering the Luxembourg Rose of Tralee event can do so online at www.roseoftralee.ie

The Rose of Tralee International Festival, Luxembourg Centre, is organising its 2018 Rose Ball on Saturday 14 April 2018 from 19:00 at the Parc Alvisse Hotel in Luxembourg-Dommeldange, with MC Jim Kent & DJ Sam Steen.

To enter, contestants must meet the following criteria:-
a) Be 18 years of age by 1 January 2018 and will not have reached your 28th birthday on or prior to 1 September 2018.
b) Be unmarried or never been married.
c) Be born in Ireland, be an Irish citizen or be of Irish origin by virtue of one of your ancestors having been born in Ireland.
d) Be living in the region you wish to represent for a minimum of one year,
e) Never have previously represented any Centre as a Rose in the Regional Festival or International Rose of Tralee Selection.
f) Be available for Rose Selection events and, if selected, be available for the Regional Festival and International Festival events.

If you are interested in entering, or know of a potential Rose, contact the Rose committee at luxembourgrose@yahoo.com. More information is available on www.roseoftralee.ie

As the Lead Sponsor of the Rose of International Festival, Tipperary Crystal will present, the 2018 Rose ofTralee with a complete collection of Tipperary Crystal Fine Jewellery, a range of high quality products from their Giftware and Homeware Collections. She will wear the splendid tiara featuring the Rose motif as the central framework, adorned in glistening crystals and the exquisitely crafted Crystal Perpetual Trophy. The next Rose of Tralee will drive away from Tralee in a brand new KIA from McElligotts Tralee, a World Travel Prize valued at €25,000 and a weeklong holiday in Kerry from Kerry County Council.

Every return visit to Tralee during the 2018 Rose of Tralee’s reign will be spent in comfort at the magnificent 4-star Rose Hotel, the home to the Rose of Tralee International Festival. The 2018 Rose of Tralee International Festival will run from Friday 17 to Tuesday 21 August.