2008 QUEENSLAND ROSE
Congratulations to Harlie Byrnes, 2008 Queensland Rose of Tralee Winner
Harlie is an Assistant in Nursing studying a Bachelor of Nursing at Southern Cross University, Lismore. She is 27 years old and lives in Alstonville NSW. An accomplished Irish Dancer, Harlie has been studying and performing for the past 10 years including competing at state and national level. Her family hails from Galway and having travelled to Ireland for a short two week holiday, she would love to return to discover more about her ancestry.
History
of the "Rose of Tralee"
The "Rose of Tralee International Festival" has been held each August since 1959 at Tralee, Co Kerry, Ireland. Back in 1959 there were five entrants and the budget was $1500. Today there are thirty-two entrants and the budget is well over $1M. It is now one of Europe's foremost festivals attracting over 300,000 visitors from all over the world and returns over about $28M to Tralee and the surrounding districts during the six day Festival.
The Festival is justifiably famous for its variety of entertainment staged on the streets and in the Tralee Festival Dome. The highlight of the festivities is the presentation of the Roses on live television over two nights to an estimated audience of millions, the year 2000 breaking all records for RTE Ireland.
The International Rose of Tralee Quest is now a world-renowned contest for girls of Irish ancestry from the USA, Canada, Europe, The Middle East, New Zealand, Ireland, Great Britain, Japan and Australia, who travel to Tralee each year to compete for the coveted title of INTERNATIONAL ROSE OF TRALEE.
The week offers bright lights, beautiful girls, crowds, music, song, dance and the "Craic" is just great, all of which goes into creating an atmosphere of fun for young and old alike.
The Festival is also an occasion for Irish communities from all around the globe to come together. The centres take great pride in their "Roses", who act as ambassadors for their Irish communities.
Girls who take part in the quest must be aged between 18-28, single and of Irish birth or ancestry. They are judged not on looks alone, but more on personality, poise, charm, sincerity and ability to represent their home country in Ireland and Ireland in their home country. The judges are asked to keep in their mind the words of the song which inspired this competition:
"She was lovely and fair as the Rose of the Summer,
Yet it was not her beauty alone that one me,
Oh no, 'twas the truth in her eyes ever dawning,
That made me love Mary the Rose of Tralee."
Their task is to choose yet another with the truth in her eyes to be the INTERNATIONAL ROSE OF TRALEE.
Winners
of
Queensland Rose of Tralee
| 1988 |
Carmel Mulhern |
1989 |
Alannah Mahoney |
1990 |
Tracey Walsh |
1991 |
Patricia McGirl |
1992 |
Sharon James |
1993 |
Bernadetta Skehan |
1994 |
Ingrid Holohan |
1995 |
Caroline Carpenter |
1996 |
Samantha Andrew |
1997 |
Alexis Wavell-Smith |
1998 |
Maria Crealey |
1999 |
Angela Martin |
2000 |
Melissa Hickey |
2001 |
Katherine Mc Mahon |
2002 |
Melissa Hickey |
2003 |
Cara Maher |
2004 |
Sophie Cleary |
2005 |
Michelle Emery |
| 2006 |
Kathryn Feeney |
2007 |
Talia Evans |
| 2008 |
Harlie Byrnes |
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2008 Sponsors of The Rose of Tralee
Devine Limited
Access Ireland Holidays
Bev Lindemann – Mary Kay Cosmetics
Darling Downs Irish Club
East Coast Gravel Pty Ltd
Fashions on Mayfield
Guinness Queensland
Goodtimes Network Photography
Irish Business Association
The Irish Echo Newspaper
McGirl Realty
Mary Casey Florist
North Brisbane Antique Car Club
O’Shanley Irish Hotel, Clifton
Pat Marszalek – Emma Page
Philip Driver
Queensland Irish Association/The Irish Club
QIA Dancers
Qld Gaelic Football Association
QIA Social Bridge Club
QIA Tigh Gaelach Gourmet Club
QIA Tara Singers
Ron & Margaret Stacey
Rothbury on Ann Hotel
Sherwood Services Club
Stewart Silver, King & Burns
Tara Hall Dining Club
Waterford-Wedgwood Australia
The Rose of Tralee
Oh the pale moon was rising above the green mountain,
The sun was declining beneath the blue sea.
When I strayed with my love o’er the pure crystal fountain,
That stands in the beautiful Vale of Tralee.
She was lovely and fair as the Rose of the Summer,
Yet it was 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 mantles were spreading,
And Mary, all smiling, sat listening to me.
The moon thro’ the valley her pale rays was shedding,
When I won the heart of the Rose of Tralee.
Tho’ lovely and fair 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.
PIPER – Michael McCormick
Information and application kits for 2009 Rose of Tralee entrants are available by contacting QIA Reception on 3221 5699.
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