Start spreading the news - the Rose for 2000 is a rose by this name: Roisin Ryan Egenton.
A 23-year old health and welfare associate, representing New York, Roisin - whose name is the Irish for rose - has been to Ireland on "multiple occasions". But she never expected to win the Rose of Tralee title.
A popular choice, she brought the Dome down on Monday night with her rendition of I'll take you home again Kathleen, dedicated to a lady whom Roisin said had been like a grandmother.
Her charities are likely to be one involving music to aid disabilities, or one dedicated to heart problems, from which her father Michael has suffered. Roisin has a degree in international studies and plans to work in international communications and marketing and media relations. She has played the violin since the age of three and was principal of the Manhattan School of Music philharmonic.
The year 2000 Rose already had plans to come back to Ireland in October to take a job. But she may now take a year out to concentrate on her duties as Rose.
"I've just heard about the Roses for the last couple of years and how much they've done and I hope I will do half as much," she said. She was accompanied to Ireland by her brother Cormac (21) and father Michael, who was born in Oldcastle Co Meath, and by her mother Katherine, originally from Co Tipperary.
President of the festival, Mr Kevin McCarthy, said the selection of an American rose for the millennium was not a response to criticism last year on the failure to select an American Rose since 1987. Choosing a British rose might have led to similar suggestions, he said.
Roisin is the third New York Rose of Tralee. Previous winners were in 1974 and 1976.
This year's festival attracted record numbers of television viewers. Some 1.3 million people watched, more than double last year's figures, and the highest ever recorded.
Thousands thronged the streets of Tralee last night as a Garda escort led the 42nd rose for the traditional greeting at the Ashe Memorial Hall in Denny Street, Tralee.
Bono from U2 is the personality Roisin Ryan Egenton would most like to meet.
She was presented with £3,000 in prize money, a £1,000 shopping voucher from Supervalu, a WAP Phone, a Waterford Crystal vase and a year's supply of Cadbury's Roses for the charity of her choice.