Latest news with #CorkRose
Irish Independent
11-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Irish Independent
Newly-selected Cork Rose Nancy buzzing with pride as she relishes her big looming trip to Tralee
'I wasn't really thinking about it (winning) because it was a very long night and we were probably a bit tired at that stage, and I wasn't sure whose name would be called out, but I was not expecting mine,' she said. 'I was just like 'oh my God, I can't believe it,'' she added. Ms Lehane has been busy since receiving the sash, and she said it is an 'honour to represent Cork as a whole.' 'I really want to get around as much of Cork as I can because, I remember a lot of people telling me from home that I'm the Cork Rose, not the Meelin Rose, and we are a very clannish-based group up here. 'It is an honour to represent Cork as a whole and with it being such a big county,' she said. Ms Lehane tried to sign her boyfriend up as an escort, as she thought 'I should get him to do that'. He said 'not in a million years' but Ms Lehane decided to sign herself up for the Rose selection in protest. 'I was just on the phone to him one night and he was saying that an escorting ad popped up on his phone as we were talking, and I was thinking 'I should get him to do that.' 'So, I started applying for him and I asked him all the questions subtly to fill in the form, and when it came to his references, and I had to ask, 'what is your employer's phone number?' He was like 'what are you doing?'' she laughed. 'He knew then and said 'not in a million years' so I said I would enter as the Rose if you won't enter as an escort. ADVERTISEMENT Learn more 'I think as it was getting closer (to the Cork Rose selection), I was saying 'it's too late now, you made your decision,' she laughed. The primary school teacher said there were plenty of celebrations across Meelin, known as the highest village in Ireland. 'We had plenty of celebrations. We had a guard of honour on the Monday and last weekend with the match, there was a big crowd out as well. 'We had a gathering festival in the next parish over in Rockchapel, so I was at that all weekend doing different things. 'I was a special guest for a three counties rivalry variety show, and I was part of the Cork-based clan for that,' she added. The Rose of Tralee International Festival means a lot to Ms Lehane, as the start of the festival would usually signal a trip across the Cork border into Waterford to watch the spectacle alongside some of her cousins. 'My mom is from quite a big family; I have 48 first cousins on my mother's side but the majority of them would be based in Waterford. 'So, there's a group of 10-12 girl cousins who would have always met up in Waterford to watch it (Rose of Tralee) every year together. 'We have always said to each other 'who will be the first Rose?' 'It would be cool if we had a Cork Rose and a Waterford Rose in the same year. 'Hopefully they will get inspired and go for the Waterford Rose in the future, there are enough of them,' she laughed. Looking back on the six weeks before the selection night, Ms Lehane said there was a 'friendly rapport' between the contestants. 'There was definitely a great friend rapport and everyone was there for each other. 'We were all in the same boat at the end of the day and there was no point not being friendly with each other, or having a rivalry because none of us knew who was going to win it. 'Everybody had a very impressive story on stage or an act and none of us had a clue who was going to win it,' she said. Galway Bay FM's Head of Sport and Fine Gael Councillor Ollie Turner was the host on the night and Ms Lehane said he was 'brilliant'. 'I remember chatting about this to my family - all the supporters, obviously they are there to hear everyone, but they are mostly there for their family member or friend that they are supporting. 'He (Ollie) made the night very enjoyable for the supporters, as it was a long evening, but he was also very easy to talk to, even when you got stuck, he would brush over it and no one would even notice that you were struggling with a question,' she said. The Cork Rose Centre is 'on the ball' since Ms Lehane received the sash. 'It's great to have the Cork Rose Centre, that is so well established, and they are on the ball with everything because it would be very hard to prepare for that (The Rose of Tralee) by yourself. 'They have been very, very, very helpful so far,' she added. Ms Lehane will represent the Rebel county in Tralee from August 15 to 19.
Irish Independent
10-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Irish Independent
Cork Rose 2025 announced at The Rochestown Park Hotel
It was probably the biggest and brightest of the Rose of Tralee heats so far this year as the Cork Rose contestant was selected at The Rochestown Park Hotel on Sunday evening.
Irish Independent
06-06-2025
- General
- Irish Independent
Cork Rose contestant with spina bifida says selection night experience ‘built-up my confidence'
But it's back to work already, and Sarah's hard at it in her salon at the Crann Centre, which opened its doors in 2018 and has been a key charity for people with neuro-physical disabilities and their families. The facility is flat and wheelchair accessible and Ms Dullea said finding wheelchair accessible accommodation is 'really hard.' 'I opened the salon in November 2019 in the Crann Centre and I've been a beautician for 11 years. 'I knew of the centre since it opened, so I approached them and asked if I could use a space for one day per week and they said 'absolutely, no problem,' and now I'm there every Thursday and Friday,' she said. Sarah's Art and Beauty offers a range of services including nails, spray tanning and waxing, and Ms Dullea said she loves her job. 'I love my job, and it still feels like a hobby. 'I always say to people that when you wake up in the morning, you should feel excited to go to your job and feel like you're doing a nice thing,' she said. Her love for beauty started when she accompanied her mother to birthday parties as a pre-teen, as her mother offered a face painting service. Sarah would paint children's nails as part of the package. 'When I was younger, maybe 11 or 12 years old, myself and my mum would do these birthday parties for girls and I always have been interested in nail polish, so I would paint their nails and put stickers on them. 'All I ever wanted to do is beauty,' she added. ADVERTISEMENT The Dunmanway woman loves chatting with new and regular customers at the Crann Centre, and many of her customers would be wheelchair users who frequent the facility. 'I get to meet so many new clients and see my regulars, and there's always a new story every week and it's lovely to hear. The beautician is also a volunteer at the Crann Centre, where she chaperones fun evenings, kids' clubs and other events. Ms Dullea put herself forward for the Cork Rose selection in 2024 and 2025, and made 'fantastic friends' along the way. 'I had such a fantastic time and made such fantastic friends, and it really built up my confidence because I would struggle with making friends. 'With me being disabled, my friends were going off and living their lives and I might be a bit slower so I would struggle to hang on to them. 'I went for (Cork Rose) selection last year to build up my friendship group and some of my friends from last year came to support me on Sunday night (for the 2025 Cork Rose selection), which was fantastic,' she added. Sunday's Cork Rose selection saw Nancy Lehane earn the sash to represent the Rebels at the Rose of Tralee International Festival in August, and Sarah said she 'can't wait' to show her support for the Meelin woman. 'Nancy is such a sweetheart, and we were thrilled for her. 'She is the most genuine and down-to-earth person I've ever met. 'She is a darling and I can't wait to go to Tralee and support her,' she concluded.
Irish Independent
06-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Irish Independent
Rose of Tralee ‘sisterhood' planning Tralee invasion to support Cork Rose Nancy
A total of 25 women from the Cork Rose Centre contested this year's Cork Rose as Meelin native Nancy Lehane was chosen to represent the county. The good news for Nancy is the remaining 24 girls are planning to visit Tralee for the festival to support their friend and enjoy the occasion. While there is much publicity given every year to the lifelong friendships forged among Roses lucky enough to represent their respective Rose centres, the same applies in the preliminary stages and the various centres around Ireland and the globe. That all 25 contestants from the same Rose centre will be in Tralee for the festival must be a first in the storied history of the Rose of Tralee which started in the 1950s. 2025 Cork Rose contestant Lucy Ni Cuinneagáin, who represented Swissport in the sold-out selection night at Cork's Rochestown Park Hotel last month, explains the idea behind the visit. 'We just decided that we had grown so close over the last three months that it was only right that we go and celebrate Nancy winning, and hopefully winning the whole thing. She is like our sister so we're definitely all trying to go down and support her,' Lucy told The Kerryman. Lucy explains the Cork Rose selection night was less a competition and more an opportunity to make 'a big group of sisters' and best friends. Nancy Leahane is said to be over the moon about the girls travelling in such numbers to support her. 'Out of all the centres that we've seen, we have become quite close. I have heard from girls in previous years that say a few attended the Rose, but only on the night of the selection. This year, the whole 24 of us are going down to support Nancy. It's probably a first and I don't think Tralee knows what it has coming,' Lucy added. The pressure is on to find accommodation in Tralee for the week. Lucy has put out an appeal on social media for places to stay and is hoping some help and suggestions will come her way. 'We have phoned around a few places but it is proving difficult. We'll be trying to beg, borrow, and steal accommodation from people including some of our families that are living in Tralee. It is going to be a very expensive week so any way that we can get accommodation it would be greatly appreciated,' she said. With strong West Kerry connections to Castlegregory, Lucy is well accustomed to the special atmosphere created by the Rose of Tralee. Being a contestant in 2025 was part of a childhood dream. 'It's absolutely a surreal feeling to be a contestant. It was a fantastic experience and we're all so proud that we did it. The Rose of Tralee has always been a huge deal for me growing up. It's something that is close to me because the girls are really great and we've made some great connections. We became this big sisterhood – a sisterhood that is heading to Tralee to support a friend,' she said. Anyone with accommodation ideas can contact Lucy at 083 3858519.
Irish Independent
02-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Irish Independent
‘The highest village in Ireland now has a Cork Rose' – Nancy Lehane to represent Rebels at 2025 Rose of Tralee
Ms Lehane is a proud native of the Duhallow-based village, the highest in Ireland, and the talented musician is about to live out her childhood dream of being the Cork Rose. Some 25 hopefuls took to the stage with an array of musical talents, eloquent poems and mesmerising dance moves in the hopes to woo the judging panel which consisted of the 2012 International Rose of Tralee Nicola Dunne; 2001 Cork Rose Olivia Walsh Murphy and Sales and Marketing Manager at the Rochestown Park Hotel Steve Cox. Ollie Turner was the host on the night and the Galway Bay FM sports presenter – and Fine Gael councillor – has played a part in Rose of Tralee selection nights for almost two decades, as well as being a judge over the past two renditions of the festival. When Mr Turner opened the envelope which revealed Ms Lehane's name he said: 'The highest village in Ireland now has a Cork Rose,' which was met with a huge roar of approval by the crowd. Ms Lehane recently completed her degree in Primary Education in Limerick and currently works at Bob's Restaurant in Kanturk. The Rose of Tralee will not be her first appearance on television as she competed in Ireland's Fittest Family in 2021. The 21-year-old has a keen interest in volunteering at local events, as well as embarking on a life-changing trip to Uganda to work with children. CEO of The Rose of Tralee Anthony O'Gara complimented Cork for celebrations that is 'very difficult' to replicate anywhere else. 'We have Roses from many counties here tonight, but I think they would agree that out of all the events we had this year, this is the biggest and the grandest, and it says so much about the spirit of Cork city and Cork county,' he said. Mr O'Gara went on to say that the Rose of Tralee is about 'celebrating women'. 'The Rose of Tralee is about celebrating women with their families, their communities and their friends because women are being celebrated more – thankfully. 'The Rose of Tralee has led from the front for many years and making sure that women are recognised for being the leaders of our communities,' he said. He added that the 25 women competing for the sash were 'strong enough to come up here and be themselves'. '25 of them will leave the room tonight and none of them will be the lesser and they will all be the better for having got to know the friends they got to know here. 'They will all leave here as proud as they arrived,' he concluded. A total of €3,550 was raised for the chosen charity partner on the night, the Children's Health Foundation. The charity supports sick children and their families in Children's HeaIth Ireland hospitals and urgent care centres in a number of ways, from funding vital life-saving equipment to supporting ground-breaking research. Ms Lehane will represent Cork at the Rose of Tralee International Festival from August 15 to 19.
