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The Rose of Tralee Sceala Irish Craic Forum Irish Message |
jodonnell
Sceala Philosopher
Location: NYC
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| Sceala Irish Craic Forum Discussion:
The Rose of Tralee
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The Rose of Tralee festival in county Kerry has started. The international competition which is celebrated among Irish communities all over the world, will finish next tuesday, when the new Rose of Tralee is crowned.
The idea for the festival came when a group of local businessmen met in Harty's bar in Tralee to come up with ideas to encourage more tourists to the town during the horse racing meeting. Led by the late Dan Nolan, managing director of The Kerryman newspaper, they hit on the idea of the Rose of Tralee festival. The competition started in 1959.
The Rose of Tralee festival is now held annually at the end of August in Tralee, County Kerry, to choose a young woman to be crowned the Rose.
The winning Rose is the woman deemed to best match the attributes relayed in the song: "lovely and fair". The winner is selected based on her personality and should be a good role model for the festival and for Ireland during her travels around the world. In contrast to beauty pageants, there is no swimwear section in the Rose of Tralee contest and the contestants are not judged on their appearances but rather their over-all personality and suitability to serve as ambassadors for the festival.
Each of the 32 counties in Ireland select a Rose and there is also a Ros Fodhla representing the 'gaeltacht' or Irish speaking areas in Ireland. Regional finals are held in June where six Irish girls are selected to take part in the International Rose of Tralee festival. Roses from Kerry, Dublin and Cork automatically qualify for the festival held in August.
There are international Roses chosen from around the world who also participate in the Rose of Tralee festival. These include the centres of Birmingham, Boston, Darwin, Dubai, France, London, Luxembourg, Newcastle, New York, New Orleans, New Zealand, Perth, Queensland, San Francisco, Southern California, South Australia, Sydney, Texas and many more centres who take part in the qualifying rounds.
The festival takes its inspiration from a nineteenth century Irish ballad of the same name about a woman called Mary, who because of her beauty was called 'The Rose of Tralee'.
The pale moon was rising above the green mountains
The sun was declining beneath the blue sea
When I strayed with my love by the pure crystal fountain
That stands in the beautiful Vale of Tralee
She was lovely and fair as the rose of the summer
Yet 'twas not her beauty alone that won me
Oh no, 'twas the truth in her eyes ever dawning
that made me love Mary, the Rose of Tralee.
The cool shades of evening their mantle were spreading
And Mary all smiling was listening to me
The moon through the valley her pale rays was shedding
When I won the heart of the Rose of Tralee.
Though lovely and fair as the Rose of the summer
Yet 'twas not her beauty alone that won me
Oh no, 'twas the truth in her eyes ever dawning
that made me love Mary, the Rose of Tralee.
In the far fields of India, 'mid wars dreadful thunders
Her voice was a solace and comfort to me
But the chill hand of death has now rent us asunder
I'm lonely tonight for the Rose of Tralee.
She was lovely and fair as the rose of the summer
Yet 'twas not her beauty alone that won me
Oh no, 'twas the truth in her eyes ever dawning
that made me love Mary, the Rose of Tralee.
The Rose Of Tralee is a John McCormack signature song that is loved by Irish people the world over.
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