Sáoirse Goes;
Credit: Daniel Frank
Chronicle.lu recently had the opportunity to speak with the six young women who are vying to be the 2025 Luxembourg Rose.
The winning Rose will be crowned at the Luxembourg Rose Ball, taking place at Parc Hotel Alvisse in Luxembourg-Dommeldange on Saturday 17 May, and will represent the Grand Duchy at the Rose of Tralee International Festival in August 2025.
The Rose of Tralee International Festival is one of Ireland’s largest and longest running festivals. Dating back to 1959, it celebrates Irish communities and in particular young women of Irish descent (Roses), from countries all around the world. Roses are selected in a number of centres worldwide, with over 30 Roses subsequently participating in the Rose of Tralee International Festival, held annually in the town of Tralee, County Kerry, Ireland. Contestants take part in various activities during the five-day festival including parades and community events, as well as private and live televised interviews. The highlight of the festival is the selection of the International Rose of Tralee who will represent Ireland and the festival, both locally and around the world, during her one-year reign.
The festival name was inspired by a 19th century ballad written by William Pembroke Mulchinock about his forbidden love, Mary, whose beauty earned her the title of “The Rose of Tralee”.
In April 2025, the Luxembourg Rose Centre confirmed the names of this year's Luxembourg Rose contestants. Among them is Sáoirse Goes, who spoke with Chronicle.lu about her Irish heritage and her reasons for entering the competition.
Chronicle.lu: What motivated you to take part in the competition and what has been the highlight of your time as a contestant so far?
Sáoirse Goes: The first time I remember hearing about the Rose of Tralee was in the lead-up to what was to be the last Luxembourg Rose Ball for many years, in 2019. My mum, who was born and raised in Dublin was so excited about showing me this part of her cultural heritage. We went to the ball together that year, along with my aunt, and I remember just having the most fun. It’s hard to explain what the Rose of Tralee is about to people when they haven’t experienced it, but it was such a fun night, especially the ones taking place outside of Ireland. It’s a little taste of home and the community-aspect is really strong throughout it. It was from this basis that the idea of my taking part as a contestant for the 2025 Luxembourg Rose was conceived, although I do remember my mum back in 2019 saying: “This will be you next time.” Although the seeds were originally sewn by my mother, my experience so far has been completely unexpected. Although I missed some of the first few official and unofficial meet-ups, due to my studies abroad, everyone has been so lovely and welcoming to me and my escort, Alexis Dell, from the organisers and judges to the other Roses and their escorts, the highlight for me has really been getting to know everyone involved. This was facilitated by the Mystery Bus Tour organised earlier this month, which turned out being a jam-packed day, blending Luxembourgish and Irish culture seamlessly, encapsulating the essence of the Luxembourg Rose.
Chronicle.lu: Tell us a little about yourself, your Irish heritage and what being Irish means to you.
Sáoirse Goes: I was born and raised in Luxembourg, with Irish and Dutch dual nationality. My mum is Irish and my dad is Dutch, so I grew up with three different nationalities and cultures constantly at play, which translated to me, as these identities are in flux within me at all times. With a name like Sáoirse, with means "freedom" in Irish, my Irish heritage was always entrenched within me, but it was not until I moved to Dublin for my undergraduate degree in English Literature from Trinity College, which I completed last year, that I really connected with my Irish identity. This experience made me realise that being Irish is more than just a passport or a piece of paper, a sentence that you use to describe yourself. Culturally, this identity is very rich, it is an inherently political and politicised identity, and, crucially, through its history, music, Hiberno-English turns of phrase, it is an identity that becomes a part of you, inextricably and irrevocably.
Chronicle.lu: What do you love most about Luxembourg and what do you love / miss most about Ireland?
Sáoirse Goes: Luxembourg is always a homecoming to me, it’s seeing a Luxair plane waiting at a gate and knowing I’m going home, that comforting hug waiting for me. I think of it nostalgically and fondly, in terms of the family and friends that live there, that I look forward to seeing whenever I come home.
I miss Irish hospitality the most, that you can walk down the street and people will speak to you with genuine kindness, I miss landing in Dublin airport and the officer at passport control saying: “Welcome home, Sáoirse”, I miss getting into a taxi with a North Dublin aul’ fella driving, I miss spice bags after an evening spent in an old man’s pub, I miss getting a 99 on the beach in Malahide and buying 50c Marian Keyes books in charity shops.
Chronicle.lu: What social issues are you most interested in and passionate about?
Sáoirse Goes: I’m very passionate about gender inequality and women’s rights. It is an interest which has grown from my passion for literature, as I have always found myself drawn to novels and plays that problematise these issues. I’m fascinated in researching sexual politics, and different interactions between the genders, especially in how they are depicted in fiction and how this mirrors or criticises contemporary societal issues.
In addition, my background in journalism has fostered my deep interest in the quest for the truth. This could not be a more pertinent issue in today’s political and media landscape. Striving to uphold the truth, to ensure that everyone’s voice is heard and to reconcile people with various opinions, I am able to explore a never-ending range of social justice issues.
Chronicle.lu: What advice would you give to your younger self?
Sáoirse Goes: If I could give my younger self one single piece of advice it would be that it will all work out. This does not mean that you don’t have to work hard. It simply means that if you try your best, if you dare to take those risks, whatever is meant to be will be and it will likely be even better than you imagined.
