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Breda O’Mahony after being announced as Kerry Rose. Photo: Kerry Rose Centre Facebook Page
Breda O’Mahony from Rathmore is the new Kerry Rose and she will represent the Kingdom in the Dome during the 2017 Rose of Tralee International Festival in August.
She was selected from 24 entrants at the Kerry Rose Selection in Ballyroe Heights Hotel Tralee last night.
The 27-year-old is a lecturer in St. Angela’s College Sligo, having previously been a post-primary teacher in Dublin. She graduated with a degree in Home Economics and Religious Education.
Breda says she didn’t expect to hear Daithi O Se announce her name.
“Genuinely, I did not expect it,” she told John Drummey, last night. “I can’t explain the emotions…I’m beaming but there’s also tears coming down my eyes. It’s an unreal feeling, it’s fantastic. Being from Kerry it’s every girl’s dream to become Kerry Rose. I remember being four or five or six and sitting on dad’s shoulders watching the parade.”
Breda said she remembers watching the Roses on TV when she was very young and her grandmother pointing to the TV predicting she would be up there someday.
“It’s like a dream come true really,” she said.
64 Roses will take part in the 2017 Rose of Tralee International Festival from 16th to 22nd August, but the Kerry Rose Breda O’Mahony is the only one guaranteed to appear on the live TV shows in the Dome.
