ANNA GEARY
THERE are all different types of teams that are a part of our everyday lives: family, in work, in sport, in our hobbies. The letters of a team accurately represent the idea that ‘ Together Everyone Achieves More’. Being part of a team means that you know you are not in it alone, that others are there to support you and there is a pool of resources to dip into whenever it’s necessary. Individual success in work, exams and sport, while satisfying, isn’t as fulfilling as collaborating with others to make things happen.
The Rose of Tralee Festival was held this week and it was one of the most unlikely teams I have ever had the privilege to be a part of. The anticipation was bubbling inside me as I travelled back that now familiar road to Tralee. I relished the chance to reminisce about some of the best experiences of my life so far and re-join my ‘ teammates’ from the Class of 2014. Roses travelled from all over the world to celebrate and relive what we had achieved together. “Rose Team AAAASSSSSEMBLE!”
My Rose team reminds me of my Camogie teams in many ways – you have each others’ backs no matter what. Leaders step up. Some are there to keep us in check, others to confide in. There are those who constantly encourage, some to knock the craic out of every situation and those who instantly make a room feel more energised just by being in it. I would travel to the ends of the earth for these women; ladies I have only known for two years. Why? Because I know they would do the same for me. Every year a new group gets to form a new team.
And then there’s Camogie. I love playing the sport because you get to share in an experience with those who are all working towards the same goal as you; all are proud to represent the team and all work towards putting their best foot forward for that team.
My Rose team is no different. Fierce women joining forces for the greater good. The rose team goes one step further in that there is an international network of skills and talents at your disposal too. We all can’t be good at everything, but when I look at the array of abilities in my group I know we cover all bases.
I am only a skype call away from advice, an email away from a valued opinion and sometimes only a coffee away from a brainstorming session or a solution to a problem.
When I read some of the crap that is written each year about The Rose of Tralee Festival I swell with anger, then I yawn. These people rehash the same condemning notions about the Rose of Tralee being outdated and not relevant anymore.
There were 1.7 million viewers watching the Rose of Tralee Festival last year so it does evoke curiosity and interest.
The Rose of Tralee offers the opportunity for women from all over the globe to come together, represent where they come from, form friendships and connections, grow in confidence and stature, travel to places they have never been, develop both personally and professionally and just celebrate being themselves.
Since when did that become outdated?
Parents strive to teach their daughters to grow up to be strong, ambitious, courteous, kind, determined “lovely” women and the Rose of Tralee puts these women on a platform to tell their individual stories for younger girls to relate to and aspire to become.
The only thing outdated is people feeling the need to knock each other in this country. It is far easier to dish out insults and negative remarks than it is to acknowledge and compliment. In my view strong women build each other up, they don’t tear each other down.
The Rose of Tralee was the catalyst for change in my life. In the months that followed the festival I developed the courage to take so many life altering risks. I retired for Intercounty Camogie, changed my career and moved away from my beloved Cork, all the while knowing that, I had a team scattered across the world that were facing the same decisions as I was, overcoming the same obstacles and putting themselves out there to try to be better.
After meeting again this week and continuing to be inspired and uplifted by this team, my extended family, it only reconfirms to me that taking a chance to become a rose was one of the greatest choices I have made.
As Henry Ford said, “coming together is a beginning; keeping together is progress and working together is success”.
I looking forward to working towards success with all of my teams for the years to come.
WHEN I READ SOME OF THE CRAP THAT IS WRITTEN EACH YEAR ABOUT THE ROSE OF TRALEE FESTIVAL I SWELL WITH ANGER, THEN I YAWN.