2017 Wicklow Rose to be crowned this weekend!
It has arrived! The selection of the 2017 Wicklow Rose, in association with the Wicklow People and Bray People, will take place this Sunday, June 25, at a special evening in the Arklow Bay Hotel. The selection panel will pick one of the 15 wonderful candi
JUST days remain before the 2017 Wicklow Rose selection night.
One lucky contestant will be chosen from a wonderful line up of hopefuls to wear the Wicklow crown and sash and represent the county at the upcoming Rose of Tralee International Festival in Tralee, Co Kerry, from August 16 to 22. This includes the nationwide ‘Rose Tour’.
Each of the girls will take to the stage at the Arklow Bay Hotel on Sunday night, where they will be put through their paces by special guest MC Ollie Turner from Galway Bay FM.
They will be interviewed in front of an audience and will have the opportunity to introduce themselves to the judging panel and say why they want to take on the challenge of being the Wicklow Rose. Interviews will also take place behing closed doors earlier in the day before the glammed-up contestants are introduced to the audience.
The chosen winner will follow in the footsteps of Jane Harrison who was the 2016 Wicklow Rose and represented the county with pride.
Some of the contestants will be sharing their talents for singing and dancing and rumour has it there might even be a rugby tackle demon on stage!
ALANA MORIARTY
Alana Moriarty is 21 years old and living in Arklow. She is studying marketing at Dublin Institute of Technology and will be entering her final year in September. During the year she worked parttime as a waitress in the Arklow Bay Hotel, and is now working as a marketing intern for the summer. Alana spent some years training in her local gymnastics club, and later assisting with coaching at beginner level. • Sponsored by The Arklow Bay Hotel
SARAH MCHUGH
Sarah McHugh is 21 years old and is from Baltinglass. She is progressing into her final year of primary school teaching at St Pat’s, Drumcondra. Sarah has a great love for dancing, which began at the age of six. This love grew even more when she joined Spotlight Stage School at the age of 12, from which she gained some amazing experiences and opportunities, including some TV and stage appearances. • Sponsored by Horans Bar & Restaurant
DARA BYRNE ELLEN DOYLE
Dara is 20 years old and hails from Ballinaclash. She is currently a second year English and Geography student at UCD. Upon completing this degree she hopes to undertake a master’s degree in education and become a secondary teacher. She works part time in Power’s Centra, Rathnew. Dara loves to read, sing and enjoy music, but her main interest lies with sport. She is a keen camogie player with Ballinacor. • Sponsored by Power’s Centra, Rathnew Ellen Doyle (21) from Arklow recently finished three years of childcare studies and is working in a creche in Dún Laoghaire. She describes herself as a positive person who is always up for some fun and who could talk for Ireland. Some of Ellen’s many interests include playing rugby and being around cars. Ellen currently plays for the Arklow Rugby Club’s over-18 ladies’ team, the Amazons. • Sponsored by Arklow Rugby Club
DANIELLE MOORE
Danielle is an outgoing, bubbly girl who loves to meet new people. Danielle is a proud Wicklow woman and lives in Stratfordon-Slaney. She works in Quinn’s of Baltinglass as an office administrator. Danielle likes to volunteer where she can and was involved in helping out the committee of Baltinglass Darkness into Light. Danielle loves to spend time with her family and friends. • Sponsored by Quinn’s of Baltinglass
COREY BURKE
Corey Burke is a fun-loving and hard-working 21-yearold from Redcross. Corey is a full-time science student at UCD and a part-time staff member at Wicklow Brewery. Corey is entering her final year of a four-year science degree specialising in physiology and hopes to go on to study graduate entry medicine. Corey’s hobbies and interests include travelling, hiking and rugby, and she plays tag rugby and referees at UCD. • Sponsored by Wicklow Brewery
ERICA KENNEDY
Erica is the 24-year-old mum of Kayla-Jane (5) and Alex (1), She is a stay-at-home mum and absolutely adores her kids, who are full of energy and have mammy kept very busy and on her feet. Her hobbies and interests are cars and motor sport. She spends a lot of time in Mondello Park in Kildare watching the drifting organised and run by the Irish Drift Championship. • Sponsored by Track Day Performance and MG Crash Repairs
JADE DOUGIE
Jade is 22 and works as a childcare practitioner in Discoveries Crèche and Montessori school in Shankill, which is sponsoring her. Jade has a natural ability and enthusisam for the job and always has a smile on her face. Jades loves photography, reading and drawing. When she can, she gets out doors and explores nature – ‘the muckier the better’ is one of her mottos! • Sponsored by Discoveries Crèche and Montessori
EMMA PEARSON
Emma Pearson is 18 years old and is studying primary school teaching at St Patrick’s College, Drumcondra.
She attended secondary school in Coláiste Eoin, Hacketstown, Co. Carlow. She enjoys music and she completed her grade eight pianoforte exam in 2014. She also enjoys socialising with her friends and she can’t wait to make more friends during the Wicklow Rose selection night. • Sponsored by the Tinahely Agricultural Show
ABBY MCKENNA
Abby McKenna, 22, is from Redcross. A self-motivated and cheerful individual, she currently works fulltime in Wicklow Brewery in Redcross. Abby studied beauty therapy at Arklow Community College and is a fully qualified ITEC and CIBTAC beauty therapist. She is returning to college in September of this year to study digital marketing at Bray Institute of Further Education. • Sponsored by Wicklow Brewery
FIONA FORTUNE
Fiona Fortune (27) is from Kilcoole and has had a interest in horses since a young age. She decided to turn her hobby into a profession and studied for her BHS instructor exams after school, and five years ago Fiona started her own business, Trudder Stud Riding School. Fiona is also fond of motorsports, in particular drifting, and she has restored a classic Nissan R32 Skyline which she enjoys driving on her time off. • Sponsored by Trudder Stud Riding School
LINDA O’REILLY
Linda O’Reilly is 22 years old and comes from Ballinclash. She is now living in Gorey. She attended Arklow National Learning Network for two years and has worked in the past with the Irish Horse Welfare Trust. She has a keen interest in all things equestrian and would love to become a jockey some day. She also enjoys walking and would love to represent Wicklow at the Rose of Tralee. • Sponsored by the Meetings of the Waters
AMBER O’REILLY
Amber is 23 and from Wicklow Town. She graduated in 2015 with a bachelor of music degree from Maynooth University and went on to receive a further qualification from the Irish College of Music Theatre. Amber’s biggest passion is singing and she has performed numerous times locally in Wicklow and most recently appeared as a soloist in the National Concert Hall. She currently works at Avoca at Mount Usher in Ashford. • Sponsored by Wicklow Hire
KATIE WALSH
Katie Walsh is 22 and from Kilmacanogue.
She has a keen interest in sports, especially soccer and GAA. She plays in goal for Enniskerry in both sports and is a keen gym-goer. She is currently working in Citywest Hotel in reservations but Katie has always wanted to be a garda and is now in the process of trying to fulfil this dream. She loves socialising with friends and ‘a bit of banter’. • Sponsored by Enniskerry GAA Club
RACHAEL MOLLOY
Rachael Molloy is 19 years old and lives in Blessington. The Dublin native started Irish dancing when she was five years of age and has taken part in competitions such as the world championships. Rachael is also a professional Irish dancer for Celtic Dance Fusion. Rachael loves working with kids and will begin an SNA course in September – she wants to be able to come home from work knowing she made someone’s day easier. • Sponsored by Angela Brien School of Dance