Rose Saoirse is gracious in defeat
WEXFORD WOMAN Saoirse Walsh was not among the Roses picked to contest the televised finals, but her campaign was one which brought joy and colour to the county over the summer.
Saoirse travelled across the country representing the Model County, attending numerous events and landmarks.
She was interviewed by Rose judges early in the summer and left early last week on a tour of Ireland, during which the judges took notes on each of the 57 contestants from around the world.
She participated in a group debate and has represented her county with pride at numerous events in Tralee, including the Rose Ball, the Rose parade on Saturday night and the fashion show.
Joined by Wexford escorts Aidan McCabe from Adamstown and Kilmuckridge man John Somers, she attended the televised Rose selection on Monday night and is attending the finals tonight when the 2018 Rose of Tralee will be chosen.
Accompanied by her family, Saoirse took the news that she wasn’t going through to the finals with grace, feeling more disappointed for her sponsors and her supporters in County Wexford than for herself.
Despite losing out, she was the only contestant to run the Rose of Tralee 10k on Sunday, still motivated ahead of running the Dublin City Marathon for MS in two months’ time.
Philosophical about losing out, she has been supporting her fellow roses and enjoying her time at the festival, which she first attended as a baby with her parents, Jack and Celia.