Search is on for the Cavan Rose 2017

The search for the 2017 Cavan Rose got off the ground when Maggie McEldowney, the reigning Rose of Tralee, paid a visit to the county last week, writes Thomas Lyons.

Cavan was one of nine Rose Centres, along with Armagh, Derry, Donegal, Fermanagh, Tyrone, Monaghan, Louth, and Dublin, that the Chicago native visited this time round to promote the search for 2017 Roses.
It has been a dramatic four months since Maggie received the crown last August. “It has been absolutely spectacular. I feel so grateful for every opportunity that has come my way since I was crowned. This is my second trip back to Ireland, I was here in October. That were a lot of 'meet and greets' and an opportunity to establish what the outline was for the year.”
The October visit was the first opportunity since being selected the 2016 Rose to meet the many friends she made. “It was a great opportunity to catch up. I also attended the 'Friends of A' event in Dublin. That is a charity established by Roses and Rose Escorts from 2010 in memory of Adrienne Hussey, the Texas Rose from that year. She died from a brain aneurysm in 2011.”
This time out Cavan was the third port of call on the visit. “We started in Dublin, then Louth. Before that I spent New Year's Eve in London with the London Rose.”

Bond
Maggie was at pains to point out that the Rose of Tralee is not about competition or winning. “I try to articulate as best I can that this is camaraderie. You are all there together, rooting for each other, you have each other's back. So you develop a unique bond. Although it is only two weeks you become very close. It has been such fun to visit my friends, particularly to meet Lisa (Reilly the Cavan Rose). I am honoured to call her a classmate and a friend, so it has been great visiting Cavan today.”
This trip lasts 10 days and Maggie will return on St Patrick's day for a week. “I have made it to 10 counties so far and by the end of the year I will have made it to every county in Ireland. I also plan to visit 19 North American centres. My goal is to make it to Australia or New Zealand, but we will have to wait and see if we have time for that.”

Tips
As Maggie visits centres across the globe, she will, no doubt, be asked for tips by prospective Roses. “I am still learning, but I will give any advice to anyone who is willing to take it. I don't know what value it would have. It is fun meeting all the people and as the applications start piling in there is an excitement for the next phase, as the buzz starts all over again.”
The Rose of Tralee is enjoying her visit to the county. “This is my first time in Cavan, and no better way to see it than with Lisa. It is very evident that there is a lot of character to the county, one of the great things about Ireland is how different every place is, each county has its own personality. It is great to see what Cavan has to offer.”
Taking advantage of the year is Maggie's priority. “It is only 225 days left before I hand the crown on to the next Rose. I definitely want to meet up with all the current Roses and help support all their foundations. Every centre has its own charity, purpose or mission that it is trying to support and I will try to help them highlight that. I was in India in November with the HOPE Foundation and I will be in Chernobyl with Lisa and 20 other Roses and escorts to work with Chernobyl Children's International later this year.”
Becoming part of the history of the festival is something that Maggie is still coming to terms with. “It is so exciting, I am very lucky and blessed to be a part of it. I had the opportunity to meet 35 of the Roses in Tralee. I met Alice O'Sullivan, the first Rose, it is very special to have met her and obviously I meat Elysha (Brennan) who was a spectacular role model. I have very big shoes to fill and I am doing my best.”
Maggie took over the crown from Elysha Brennan, the medical student from Meath who was diagnosed with Hodgkin’s Lymphoma weeks before her repeat Leaving Cert began but has been in remission for the last two years. The current Rose recently celebrated her 28th birthday and is looking forward to covering as much ground as possible before she passes on the title at the end of August.

How to apply

All entrants must:
- Be 18 years of age by January 1, 2017, and will not have reached your 28th birthday on or prior to September 1, 2017
- Be unmarried or never been married
- Be female, born in Ireland or an Irish citizen or of Irish origin by virtue of one of your ancestors having been born in Ireland
- For applicants residing outside the island of Ireland - be living in the region you wish to represent for a minimum of one year and recommend that if selected as the Rose that you will remain resident in this region for the following 12 months.
- Never have previously represented any Centre as a Rose in the Regional Festival or International Rose of Tralee Selection
- Be available for Rose Selection events and if selected be available for International Festival events.
An entrant sponsorship fee of €250 is required for entrants based in Ireland.
The closing date for applications for Rose hopefuls is April 30 ahead of the official gala selection night at the Hotel Kilmore, Cavan Town, on Friday, May 5 next.
Contact: cavanroseoftralee@gmail.com for more information.