Boherbee Rose title a snip for hairdresser Karen

May 1995

WINNING the Boherbee Rose title was just a snip for young Tralee hairdresser Karen O’Connor who is now one of 18 contestants vying to represent Kerry in this year’s Festival of Kerry.

Karen, 20, represented Ballinorig Close at the selection night which was organised by the Boherbee Residents’ Association at John Mitchell’s Clubhouse on Saturday night.

A hairdresser at Stunners in Rock Street, she is the first-ever Boherbee Rose. Her schedule will be a busy one over the next few weeks as she will attend a Festival press reception at the Earl of Desmond next Monday evening, a dinner at The Abbey Gate Hotel on Saturday, May 20 and, finally, the big night, the Kerry Rose Selection at the Brandon Hotel on Friday, May 26.

Karen lives at 33 Ballmorig Close with her parents, Sean and Kathleen. She has one brother, Shane. A pastpupil of Presentation Convent, she trained as a hairdresser with Mary O’Daly, Russell Street.

Ballinorig turned out in strength along with Karen’s work-mates from Stunners to cheer her on at John Mitchels at the weekend.

“It was a brilliant night,” the new Rose said. “I knew most of the other contestants. Most of them went to school with me.”

Karen was presented with a trophy, a bouquet of flowers and a voucher for £100. Apart from winning competitions in The Kerryman a few times, Karen, a keen crossword fan, has never won anything as big as this title.

Asked if she ever dreamed of being a Rose when she was growing up, she replied, “I think every girl in Tralee does.”

The other contestants on Saturday night were Mary Kerins, Kevin Barry Villas;

Sharon Heffernan_, Marian Park; Bridget O’Connor, Boherbee; Sharon McGovern, Hawley Park and Lisa Horgan, Casement’s Avenue. Festival committee member Gerald O’Reilly was MC on the night.

A spokeswoman at the Festival Office this week said that 14 of the 18 Kerry Rose contestants had been selected already. The Dublin Rose selection takes place in The Burlington Hotel in Dublin this Friday night.

The Boherbee Rose, Karen O’Connor from Ballinorig Close who will represent the area in the Kerry Rose finals in May.

Ray Kelliher pictured with the uniform of his uncle Richard Kelliher who was awarded the Victoria Cross for bravery during World War II. The uniform is being displayed at the WWII exhibition in the Kerry County Museum.