Elysha reflects on an amazing year

FOR some locals here in Tralee, it may only feel like yesterday since last year’s Rose of Tralee festival came to an end but now, with only a few short weeks left until the start of another round of celebrations and a brand new Rose being selected, spare a thought for the outgoing holder, Elysha Brennan.

It’s been a whirlwind year for the 23 year-old, who will be returning in September to the Royal College of Surgeons in Dublin for her third year of medicine; a year that she admits has gone by all too quickly, but one that she has enjoyed immensely.

“Honestly, I feel like I’ve blinked and I’ve missed the whole thing, it really has gone by so quickly. It’s been an absolutely fantastic year; I think because it’s been such a jam-packed year and every day has been so busy that it really has gone so quickly,” said Elysha, talking to The Kerryman on Wednesday morning. “It doesn’t feel a year ago since I was going down to spend a week in Tralee so I’m in a very nostalgic and reflective mood at the moment and looking back on all my amazing experiences,” she laughed.

Elysha, whose victory as the Meath Rose last August was a first ever for the county, says that of all the duties and responsibilities that came with being the Rose of Tralee, it was the charity work in particular that she found most rewarding and memorable.

“My chosen charity this year was ‘Aoibheann’s Pink Tie’ and they’re a children’s cancer charity and I’ve honestly done so many amazing days with that group over the past year, really special days that I’ll never forget,” she said.

“They’re probably the most memorable things from this year, I’ve met some really special children and I’ve gotten to do some really fun events with them; events that have been really special to me and after this year is gone, I’ll probably look back on those memories and they’ll be the ones that I’ll cherish the most.”

As she prepares to hand over her crown in the coming weeks, Elysha had a few words of wisdom to pass onto her successor about the coming magical year they are about to experience.

“I would say that they should definitely take a few days off afterwards, go home, spend time with family and friends and then a have frank chat with yourself about what you want to achieve from the year, what good do I want to do, what direction do I want to take myself,” she said.

“Whatever is that they do that when they’re handing the crown back next August, they can look back and think that they got everything they wanted out of it and that they had fun with it. Don’t take it too seriously, make sure to have lots of fun!” she continued.

After almost 12 months on from her victory and a completely different girl that first applied almost 15 months ago, how has Elysha Brennan been changed by her time at the top?

“The experiences that I’ve had over the past year and the people that I’ve met, I wouldn’t change any of it for the world; I’m going to take a huge confidence boost from this; I definitely wouldn’t have been as confident, able and as articulate before all of this,” she said.

“My independence has come on leaps and bounds from this year and I’m really proud of myself for that; a lot of people I met knew so much about the Rose of Tralee, they highly regard it. I met so many people that loved the festival, who knew a Rose and who had watched it growing up.”

“I am just really proud to have been the 2015 Rose of Tralee and I felt incredibly humbled and privileged by the whole thing,” she finished.