Texas Rose Kelly Gaetano.

Texas Rose is proud of her local roots

THERE was an emotional pre-Rose of Tralee moment for the Texas Rose Kelly Gaetano, when she was presented with a Certificate of Irish Heritage this week at Croke Park, Dublin. Kelly, whose Irish ancestry can be traced back six generations to Athlone and Kildare, was among fifteen overseas Roses who gathered on the Etihad Skyline for the celebratory event. Sporting the Westmeath county jersey, Kelly was presented with her certificate by leading Kerryman, Dick Spring. The Certificate of Irish Heritage is a Government document, signed by An Tanaiste, Eamon Gilmore, as an official recognition of a person's Irish ancestry by the Government of Ireland. Anyone in Ireland can give one of these beautiful certificates to their relatives or contacts overseas, as a permanent reminder of the deep emotional ties which link Irish families and communities together. Each certificate is a personal record of the recipient's Irish roots, showing the name of their Irish ancestor and the town or parish in Ireland from which they came. The certificate is a keepsake that can be passed on to future generations. Speaking about the presentation of the Certificate of Irish Heritage to the 2012 Rose of Tralee contestants, Dick Spring said: "I am delighted to present Kelly with this official Certificate, showing that her Irish roots are in Westmeath. I hope Kelly will have a wonderful experience here in Ireland during the Rose of Tralee Festival and that she will treasure this permanent reminder of her links to Ireland." Kelly's great, great grandfather Francis Little emigrated from Athlone to Brooklyn, New York in 1886. Her mother's family emigrated from Kildare to New York. The General Manager for the Rose of Tralee International Festival, Oliver Hurley, said: "For more than 50 years we have been connecting the global Irish community and we believe the presentation of Certificates of Irish Heritage to our Roses is an endorsement of what we are trying to achieve each year."