It was a dank, drizzly Tralee Sunday morning and a very early start for the 65 Roses who were hoping to participate in this year’s televised final. They were woken at 5am and had their phones taken from them by a television production company, lest they prematurely spread the news of their fate.
By 7.30am the 65 hopefuls had been divided, and ushered into two rooms: one where some were told they would be participating in the televised final; and the other, where they were told it was the end of the road.
The early start was a consequence of a change to the format of the festival. Doubling the number of Roses coming to Tralee means doubling the number of families and supporters, and so more business for Tralee. The word in Co Kerry was that it beats a weekend in Portlaoise, where the regional finals used to be held.
This year’s selection process will be shown in a behind-the-scenes documentary to be broadcast on RTÉ tonight at 6.30pm. Road to the Dome may make for compelling television, but it will be uncomfortable viewing for some, as just 32 of the 65 women participating have made it to the televised final.
Festival chief executive Anthony O’Gara admitted that having the television cameras around when the Roses were told the news was potentially a “double-sided sword” and that there were some who were upset to hear the news. “It is a little bit less sensitive than it might have been,” he said. “We don’t want it to become an X-Factor.”
One of those who did not make it was the Toronto Rose, Petra O’Toole (27). An effervescent character and interdisciplinary artist who works in film and theatre, she is hoping to make a documentary about her Irish background. “It was a difficult process. I’m not going to lie,” she said.
While standing in line, she took out her ukulele and started playing You Are My Sunshine – an irony given the weather here in Tralee to date. “I love the experience more than you can imagine. It was my dad’s first time in Ireland since he was 11 years of age,” she said.
Cavan Rose Lisa Reilly (26) came with no expectations of being chosen. The participants arrived as 65 Roses and would leave as 65 Roses, she said. All of them are saying as much. “It’s been eight years since a Cavan Rose got this far, so it’s a huge achievement for me and my family,” Reilly said. “I got quite emotional when I heard I’d got through. I burst into tears.”
Most accepted their fate with composure, according to Offaly Rose Emma Kirwan (18), who, as the youngest participant, will be the first on stage in the televised final. She had expected not to make it through the cut. “I was here for the craic,” she said. “And the first thing I thought was the support at home. Facebook exploded and Twitter when we got our phones back.”
There will be a significant change to the live final broadcasts. Reciting poetry is out, as a conclusion that it does not constitute a party piece has been arrived at. Last year, there were 14 poems. It clearly has had no impact on the result either, as four of the past five winners did not feel the need to recite, warble or prance around the stage.
Newfoundland and Labrador Rose Anna Murphy (24) decided in any case to ditch her party piece. For her selection night in Newfoundland, she dyed a scarf with the remains of crushed cochineal beetles. Don’t ask, but this was not an option for the live final as the process takes more than three minutes and the allocated time for a party piece is one minute 20 seconds.
“I’m going to use the time to talk about myself instead,” she said.
