Surrounded by reporters and photographers, the Rose of Tralee was remembering her first day at school.
It's scheduled for next Monday and, despite her dramatic overnight change in circumstances, there are no plans to seek a postponement. "I'm really looking forward to meeting the class," she insisted.
A newly-qualified primary teacher, Orla O'Shea had mentioned to her future employers - St Columcille's in Swords - that she would be competing in Tralee. "The principal just said: 'Have a great time, we'll be watching you on TV," recalled the 20-year-old, who hadn't give much thought to the possibility of winning. But despite her new-found fame and prizes including a €25,000 world tour, Miss O'Shea confirmed she would be reporting for duty on Monday as planned.
Looking remarkably fresh-faced after two hours' sleep and a breakfast consisting mostly of radio interviews, she didn't even know what the prizes were: "I wasn't paying much attention when they did that bit." A quick leaner, however, she was already showing the benefits of her crash course in media studies. "No comment," she said, politely but firmly, to questions about whether she had a boyfriend.
Miss O'Shea's on-stage interview with MC Ryan Tubridy was dominated by the subject of her mother's death from cancer four years ago. And in the aftermath of her success, she had no doubt that her mother was continuing to play a role in her life: "Absolutely. She made me what I am today, and I think she's still pulling strings for me up there." Her win represented success at the first attempt for Kilkenny, which had never entered the Tralee contest before. It also emphasised the expansion of the competition under the rescue plan hatched by local business-people, after €900,000 debts almost bankrupted the festival earlier this year. Kilkenny was one of 14 counties to hold their first Rose competitions in 2004.
Next year, all 32 counties are expected to compete, part of a plan to establish 85 "Rose centres" around the world in the next five years.
For now, managing director Mr Anthony O'Gara was content that the newly cost-conscious event had achieved its interim target of breaking even. "I think we've just about scraped over the line," he said yesterday. Next year it should make a profit. But Mr O'Gara said he would not be trying to cash in on a new deal for TV coverage, when RTÉ's contract expires in 2005.
"A lot of people are saying we should be looking for more money from television. But ours is a different approach. We see RTÉ as partners in the show, and we believe we can both do better financially if we build it together."