PHOTOS: Meet The Rose Of Tralee 2015 Contestants (Part 2)

As the festival is less than two weeks away, yesterday we brought you 16 contestants in the Rose of Tralee International Festival (click here for previous story). Now here’s the rest…

MELBOURNE ROSE – JOY KERRIGAN

My name is Joy Shannan Kerrigan; I am 24 years old and I was born in Johannesburg, South Africa.

I moved to Melbourne with my family in June 2010 and have fallen completely in love with it. I am the third of four girls and absolutely love having a big family.

My Pa, James Kerrigan, was born in Edenderry, a town in Country Offaly, where his father was Bank Manager of the Hibernian Bank of Ireland. When he was 4 years old he moved to Athy, where he remained until moving to Zimbabwe.

In 2014 I completed a Bachelor of Arts Degree majoring in Psychology and Drama and in 2015 I completed a Cert IV in Finance and Broking. I am currently working full time with ANZ Mortgage Solutions, where I enjoy a challenging role and a fast paced and creative environment. A few of my hobbies are sailing, dancing, painting, singing and travelling.

I backpacked around Europe in 2014 for4 months, where I encounter compassion, gained culture knowledge and learnt how to live adventurously. I am honoured to have been selected as the 2015 Melbourne Rose and represent the place I now call my home in my Pa’s homeland.

 

MONAGHAN ROSE – MICHELLE CAULFIELD

Hi everyone! My name is Michelle Caulfield. I am 27 years old and I hail from the lovely village of Scotstown in County Monaghan. I’m the oldest of four children and I am grateful to be part of a very close knit family!

I am a Junior Infants teacher in Palmerstown, County Dublin. I moved home to Monaghan this year so I commute to Dublin each day but living with my family again and of course Mammy’s home cooking makes the drive worth every minute!

I knew from a very young age that I really enjoyed working with children and youth work is a huge part of my life! My involvement with Rainbows Ireland and Focus Ireland has allowed me to meet the most inspirational children. I absolutely love to travel and have spent summers in California, Miami and Thailand!

I’ve a great  interest in fashion and love to shop a little too much! My pride and joy is my little Bichon Frise, Holly and we love our walks together in the beautiful local parks in Monaghan.

I’m so honoured and proud to be representing the ‘Farney County’ this year and I know this is going to be an unforgettable year of new experiences, new friendships and making a difference!

 

NEW YORK – SOPHIE COLGAN

Hello! My name is Sophie Colgan, I’m 23 years of age and delighted to be the 2015 New York Rose.

I come from Lisnacree, in Co. Down where I grew up in a family of nine. After graduating with a degree in Communications and PR, I pursued my dream of moving to NY.

I work as an Intern for Construction Company J.T. Magen in Manhattan, whilst pursuing a career in Public Relations in the non-profit industry. Irish heritage, culture and sport are my greatest passions.

My home club An Ríocht – Irish for the Kingdom (Kerry isn’t the only Kingdom!) – helped develop my passion, and I playand promote GAA here in NY.

I’ve had the honor of helping to establish and captain NYs first ever camogie team. In my free time I enjoy writing poetry and singing in the Manhattan Gaels ballad group.

A great passion of mine is to contribute to the wellbeing of the Irish American community in New York. Emigration can leave people feeling isolated, and unfortunately many people do not have access to health care.

It is vital to raise awareness and encourage people to talk, and I am honored to be involved with Pieta House and their mission to expand to the US.

 

NEW ZEALAND ROSE – MAGGIE FEA

I am Maggie Fea, from Queenstown, the most beautiful place in New Zealand, and also the burial place of my 3 x great grandfather, William Egan from Killenaule, Tipperary.

He arrived in Queenstown in 1867 and now has 300 descendants in our area! My 3 x Great Grandmother Mary Clifford left Castlemaine, County Kerry, and headed to New Zealand in 1877.

We are still in contact with her family! I am a 21 year old University Student, completing post-graduate studies in Human Resources. During term-time I live in a flat in the city of Dunedin with five fun-loving, gregarious women.

Whenever I can, I escape home to my family in Queenstown to snowboard, tramp, water-ski, wakeboard and generally enjoy the great outdoors. My parents are Duncan and Annette and I have two older brothers, Josh and McGregor.

We spend a lot of time together and with our extended family. I enjoy all sports and work as a snowboard instructor during my university winter breaks. I love to travel, socialise and am driven by a quest to learn.

I share my good fortune in lifewith a 12 year old “buddy” called Willow, who I have been paired through the volunteer Big Buddy Programme in Dunedin.

 

PERTH ROSE – DENISE LYNCH

Hello! My name is Denise Lynch and I am honoured to be selected as the 2015 Perth Rose of Tralee. I moved from Ireland to the very sunny Perth almost four years ago and now consider both places to be my home.

I thoroughly enjoy the outdoor lifestyle Perth has to offer, especially having barbeques with my partner and friends on the beautiful Swan River overlooking the ever-changing city skyline.

I love to keep active within the community by volunteering with the wonderful organisations RUAH and St. Johns Ambulance. I am 27 years old and currently completing a Bachelor of Science Degree (Nursing) at Curtin University. I also have over eight years’ experience as a Beauty Therapist/Tutor and still work part-time in this field.

I enjoy meeting new people and have a real passion for horse racing, fashion, and travel. I am very excited to attend the Rose of Tralee International Festival, as becoming a Rose has always been a childhood dream of mine.

This once in a lifetime opportunity will certainly be an unforgettable experience, meeting new people whilst bringing old friends and family together, I cannot wait!

 

PHILADELPHIA ROSE – MAIRÉAD COMASKEY

I’m Mairéad and I’m 27-years-old. I was raised outside Philadelphia with five sisters Charlotte, Nicole, Bridget, Eilish, Shania and our brother Michael.

We were very fortunate to grow up spending summers watching Gaelic in Philadelphia and visiting family in Ireland-always up to mischief with cousins on family farms.

My father, Mickey is from Co. Cavan, and mother, Breda from Co. Donegal. I became an avid traveller after a brilliant experience as an exchange student in St. Andrews, Scotland.

I then went on to complete my degree in International Studies and Political Science from Arcadia University, taking full advantage of their programs to study in England, South Africa, the Netherlands and Taiwan.

After graduation I volunteered with the Jesuit Refugee Service in Dublin, Ireland, before returning to Philadelphia in 2010. I currently work as a Culture Specialist for investment company, Vanguard Group, globalizing their recognition programs.

Since returning to Philadelphia, I have volunteered as a mentor with the Youth Mentoring Partnership, a program committed to helping kids master goal setting skills, build mental toughness, and forge character through intense physical fitness and sports.

I also enjoy doing fun running events- next up a Ragnar relay through West Virginia.

QUEENSLAND ROSE – NIAMH HEALY

I’m Niamh Healy, 25 years old and very excited to be the 2015 Queensland Rose of Tralee. This is my 3rd year living in Australia and I absolutely love living in Brisbane.

I grew up in Ireland spending half my life in Dublin and the other half in County Mayo. My family are now settled in County Meath. I have one sister who is 16 years old and is the spitting image of me and a little brother who is nearlytwo and just adorable.

I am a primary school teacher having studied at St Patrick’s College in Dublin and am currently studying a Master of Education in Brisbane. Since being in Australia I have been working as a full time youth minister for NET Ministries.

As my mum worked for Aer Lingus, I became very familiar with flying and travel, and have been lucky enough to have already had many adventures around the world. Having enjoyed ballet dancing from a young age, I now enjoy keeping fit and healthy, going for a run or going hiking around Brisbane.

I love fine dining, baking, being creative and I’m always up for a laugh. I feel extremely honoured to have been chosen to represent Queensland, and I’m very excited to head back to the Emerald Isle.

SCOTLAND ROSE – BRID MADIGAN

Bríd Madigan here, I’m 25 and I’m the Scotland Rose! I’m originally from Limerick and moved to Edinburgh three years ago to complete a postgraduate in Primary Teaching. I am currently working in Dunfermline, Fife in St. Margaret’s Primary school.

I have been lucky to experience living in Edinburgh and Dunfermline, two cities full of history, culture and welcoming people. Sports are a love of mine, I play football with Dunedin Connollys in Edinburgh and I train at a CrossFit gym in Dunfermline.

I love to surf and am a bit of an adrenaline junkie. I enjoy singing and music and for the past year I have been teaching the children at school to play the Ukulele, which is new to me also!

I am a former Bunratty Castle Entertainer, so I enjoy a good singsong now and then. I’m the youngest of four girls, auntie to three fantastic nephews and my amazing mother Anne, is the rock that holds our family together.

As a family, we have done a lot of fundraising for Cliona’s Foundation, a Limerick based charity, which is very close to our hearts.

SOUTH AUSTRALIA ROSE – CHELSEA THURSBY-MILOVANOVIC

My name is Chelsea Thursby-Milovanovic, I am 27 years young and I am this year’s South Australian Rose. I am a very proud South Australian with an equally proud Irish heritage.

My Nanna was born in Knocklong, County Limerick, and my Pop was born in the one and only Tralee. My grandparents moved to Australia in 1965 where they settled in the country town of Whyalla, South Australia.

I grew up in Whyalla, until I moved with my family to Adelaide. I graduated here with a Bachelor of Nursing degree from Flinders University. I am now a Neonatal Nurse and I have the best job in the world.

I get to look after premature babies and sick infants. I am extremely lucky to have found my calling and niche in life. Last year, I was able to go on a trip of a lifetime with my mum to Ireland,where we met our family for the first time and reconnected with our Irish roots.

It was absolutely amazing, my Irish cousins are all so excited to have me back ‘home’ again for the festival. I am so thrilled and honoured to be representing South Australia and my heritage at this year’s Rose of Tralee.

SOUTH CAROLINA – SHANNON KELAHAN-PIERSON

Hi everyone! My name is Shannon Kelahan-Pierson, and I am thrilled to be the first Rose selected from beautiful South Carolina!

I am 21 years old and a third year undergrad at Coastal Carolina University studying for my Bachelors in Marine Science. This is something that I have dreamed of doing since I was knocked over by a wave when I was just a year old, only a few miles away from where I live now!

I also work as a teacher’s assistant and co-founded a research program with one of my professors to give students a chance to conduct their own research at one of the most diverse artificial reefs in the state.

Needless to say, the ocean has a large place in my heart! Outside of class, the most important things in my life are my family, friends, and volunteer work. I am very close with my parents and grandparents, and I don’t know what I would do without my younger sister, Colleen.

We grew up Irish dancing and causing chaos together, but she is still the most incredible person that I know. One of the things that makes my family so close is how proud we are of our Irish heritage, which initially stems from Co. Armagh and Co. Monaghan.

SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA – LAUREN WALLER

Hello! My name is Lauren Waller and I am proud to be your 2015 Southern California Rose. I was born in Los Angeles and have proud Irish roots in Counties Roscommon and Clare.

I am a 20-year-old junior at Pepperdine University in Malibu majoring in Theater Production and Design, with an emphasis in Stage Management. I am an artist, singer, poet, lyricist, musician and avid proponent of the theater.

I will spend the next few months working for the Los Angeles Department of Parks and Recreation Summer Concert Series. I’ll be learning about live concert settings and working behind the scenes.

Music is my true passion and I am currently in production of an EP of five original songs,play the piano, and recently learned how to play the ukulele. Giving back and helping others has always been an important part of my life, and I enjoy volunteering as a mentor for high school students through the National Charity League and the Ventura County Office of Education’s Mock Trial Competition.

I am so excited to represent The Irish community of Southern California, and extremely grateful to have been given such an amazing opportunity!

SYDNEY ROSE – CIARA RAFFERTY

My name is Ciara and I am 26 years old. I was born in a small Australian beach town called Port Macquarie and moved to the western suburbs of Sydney when I was five.

My mother is from Boyle, Co. Roscommon and my father is from Greenore, Co. Louth. I have returned to Ireland many times over the years to visit the family, especially my granny and granddad.

To me, Carlingford and Lough Key Forest Park (Boyle) are the two most beautiful places in the world! I completed my education and achieved Bachelor degrees in both Arts (majoring in History and Film) and Nursing.

I am a registered nurse and research team member at Saint Vincent’s Private Hospital Sydney (SVPHS). This year I received a scholarship to complete my Honours, and plan to complete a PhD in the future.

When I am not at the hospital, I am more than likely making films! I have made two award winning short films and it is my dream to establish a not-for-profit production company that makes films about people and public health issues.

I am incredibly proud to be Irish-Australian. Being of Irish descent has taught me to be fierce and being Australian has taught me to ALWAYS wear sunscreen.

TEXAS ROSE – SIOBHÁN THOMPSON

Hi. My name is Siobhán Thompson, and I am so honored to be the 2015 Texas Rose of Tralee.

I am a 24 year old from Houston, Texas…which is also exciting, because in the 31 year history of the Texas Rose, I am the first Rose chosen from Houston!

I am a brand new graduate from the University of Houston, earning a Bachelors Degree in Music Education, and am currently looking for a job as a high school choir teacher.

Music has always been an important part of my life as my whole family is musical, and it is rare if a family get together does not end up with some live music. Along with finishing school, I have been traveling for several years with the University of Houston Concert Chorale to various international choral competitions.

We will be competing in July in Germany for the inaugural Grand Prix of Nations. When I am not singing, I love to play soccer with the Houston Gaels, which is part of the Texas GAA organization.

I also enjoy spending time with my friends and family all over the US and Ireland. My father is from Belfast, and my grandparents are still living there.

TORONTO ROSE – ERIKA HEALY

Hi all! My name is Erika Healy, and I am 27 years old. I am so honored and excited to represent the Toronto Rose for 2015. I am a recent nursing graduate, looking to pursue a career in the mental health field.

Mental Health is an area that is near and dear to my heart. As an advocate of mental health I want encourage people to seek help, make them aware of the many resources available to them, and assure them that there is nothing to be ashamed of.

I am currently working as a server at a local restaurant called KB. We specialize in local, organic sustainable products. Our menu is based around what fresh, local products are available.

We strongly believe in supporting our local farmers. It creates jobs and supports our economic growth. My Irish roots come from my parents and grandparents who are from Co. Kerry.

My parents moved to Canada when my mom was pregnant with me in 1987. I am proud to say I’m born in Canada, but made in Ireland! In my spare time I like to play sports, travel, read, explore local restaurants, and spend time with my friends and family.

WESTERN CANADA ROSE – CASSANDRA SAMPSON

I am 27 years-old and was born and raised in Northern Alberta. I grew up spending most of my time on my family acreage, snowmobiling in the winters, and swimming in the river in the summers. I moved to Edmonton, AB to complete my Bachelor of Arts degree and have since made Edmonton my home.

After my degree I received a diploma as a Physical/Occupational Therapy Assistant, a background that helped me secure my current job in Health & Safety. I feel it is important to live thelifestyle that I promote and so I try to remain as active as possible.

I like to challenge myself withnew activities and I get a lot of my inspiration from my great aunt Marj who is always up for whatever new experience comes her way.

I enjoy traveling and exploring new places. Whether it is staying local and visiting a new neighbourhood or city or venturing to an exotic destination. I love trying out new restaurants and bakeries wherever I go.

Delicious food and sweets are two of my not so secret weaknesses, or passions depending on how you look at it! My Irish ancestors (Co.Fermanagh, Co.Kilkenny) came to Canada through Newfoundland & Labrador and Ontario in the 1800s.

WICKLOW ROSE – MEGAN SWART

My name is Megan Swart, I’m 18 years old, and a leaving Cert student in Carnew, Co. Wicklow. I was born in South Africa and have lived most of my life in Ireland. I have a huge interest in travelling and experiencing different cultures.

In school I have been on the Student Council and this year I was elected Chairperson. I was a Senior Prefect and was also elected as a Meithal Leader. I have received two bronze, one silver, one gold Éach Suntasach Awards, and have also received my bronze Presidents Award.

In 2014 I was one of three students from our school that got to travel to Uganda with Self Help Africa. I organised a Charity Awareness Day in my school and invited numerous NGOs, and gave a presentation to the Board of Management on my idea.

I have done various fundraisers for the Wicklow Hospice Foundation, mainly Flora Women’s Mini Marathon, sky diving and other fundraisers. At 16 I was offered a job to work with Xpose Magazine Publishing Company for the summer doing research and design.

I travelled to New York with my football team and won an international tournament, I also have an All-Ireland Medal.