Elysha’s last tribute to inspirational Hellen

IN one her final acts as Rose of Tralee Elysha Brennan will pay a moving tribute to a Tralee woman who lost a brave battle against Cancer earlier this year.

Last January, only two weeks after her wedding, Hellen O’Connor Roche passed away just short of her 40th birthday.

During her year as Rose Elysha – a cancer survivor – has been a regular visitor to the Palliative Care Unit at University Hospital Kerry and during her visits she struck up a close friendship with Hellen.

To pay tribute to Hellen and to raise funds for the Palliative Care Unit Elysha and the O’Connor Roche family have organised a major event in the Town Park on Sunday, August 21 at 3.30pm.

During the ‘Over the Rainbow’ event Elysha Brennan will rise above the Town Park in a hot air balloon, while the general public will be encouraged to buy and release balloons in aid of Palliative Care.

It will be one of the last major event’s of Elysha’s reign as Rose and the inspirational young Meath woman wants as many people as possible to come out, take part and support the cause.

The ‘Over the Rainbow’ fundraiser was partially inspired by 2014 Rose of Tralee Maria Walsh’s famous sky-dive into the Town Park during last year’s festival.

During one of Elysha’s last meetings with Hellen the Tralee woman suggested that since Maria had dropped into the park perhaps Elysha should rise out of it.

Photo by Domnick Walsh Eye Focus Rose of Tralee TV compere Dáithí Ó Sé and this year’s 65 Roses at the launch of the 57th Rose of Tralee International Festival at RTE’s headquarters ay Montrose in Dublin.

(Above) Carrie O’Connor, Rose of Tralee Elysha Brennan, Mairead Fernane (Kerry Hospice Foundation KHF), Cara Marie Roche, Kevin Roche, Andrea O’Donoghue (KHF) and Ted Moynihan ( KHF Chairman) launch the ‘Over The Rainbow’ fundraising event at the Rose...

(Left) Rose of Tralee Host Dáithí Ó Sé with Kerry Rose Danielle O’Sullivan (left) and Cork Rose Denise Collins