Westmeath Rose Rachel to take to stage in Tralee

Rosemount woman Rachel Duffy will represent Westmeath later this month at the International Rose of Tralee Festival in the Munster Technological University's Tralee campus.

Rachel (23) says she was surprised in April when she was first selected as the Westmeath Rose. "I really didn't know what was expected of me as a Rose. Back then there was only one other Rose picked in the country so there wasn't anyone I could turn to. In the last few months it's been easier in that I can bounce off the other Roses and we all chat to each other and help each other along."

Since then, Rachel's confidence as the 2022 Lake County representative has grown immensely with the local woman saying: "The last few months have been so positive. It's been the best time of my life. Never would I have had that if I didn't apply."

Of her decision to enter the competition Rachel explained: "I was just trying to go with the flow and take every opportunity."

Rachel has attended a host of events as the Westmeath Rose representative ever since donning the special sash last April. She teamed up with An Garda Siochána for the national Go Purple Day campaign to raise funds for those suffering from domestic violence. She said: “It was a great experience for me. It opened my eyes to the realities of domestic violence.”

The former Moate Community School student was also asked by Westmeath Comhaltas to perform at an event recently and at the Gig Rig at Mullingar Fleadh. According to Rachel, this was all great practice for her as she will be singing on stage in Tralee at the festival later this month. “I was asked by Westmeath Comhaltas to sing at the Ballymore Fleadh concert which was great for me because obviously if I'm singing in Tralee all the practice I can get is beneficial. Usually I'm so used to just singing in Egan's in Moate with a smaller crowd and a more relaxed atmosphere. Singing in front of crowds is something that I haven't done in a long time."

She also attended the launch of Moate Show recently and a coffee morning was held in Rosemount in support of Rachel last month to offer the people of Rosemount an opportunity to chat to her. The NUIG graduate also met and spoke to GAA President Larry McCarthy when he visited the village recently. "The opportunity to meet Larry McCarthy and talk to him about football and GAA and our new Ladies club was a really great experience. My Ladies Club in Rosemount was only founded last year and especially nowadays there's such a big conversation about women in sports and equality in sports. To be able to talk to Larry McCarthy about those things was really beneficial for me."

Speaking about the amazing support she has received throughout her experience as the Westmeath Rose Rachel said: “The people of Rosemount have been behind me 100% of the way and not just since I went to The Rose of Tralee but ever since mammy passed away. It's such a tight-knit community and they've supported our family for the last 14 or 15 years. For me to be able to represent where I come from it kind of feels like I owe them and I want to do everyone proud."

Rachel continued: "It's really nice to see how the community and the area have come together to back me and to show their appreciation. Maybe if I wasn't so involved in my community and in the area it might have been a completely different experience.

"It's been so special and sentimental to me in that sense too because I could look back on our childhood when our whole house was heartbroken after we'd lost our Mam. The last year has just been so positive. The last few months have been the best few months of my life and I would have never had that unless I applied."

The young woman describes the Rose of Tralee experience as "being in a bubble".

"The experience is so unique and it bonds you with the other Roses so quickly. I feel like I know them nearly my whole life. We all know that when we go down to Tralee we're in this bubble and it's each other that we have to rely on so you do make friendships very quickly.

“Before the Rose of Tralee, I would have panicked if someone asked me to sing. Now I just go with the flow. It's made me more comfortable in myself.”

Rachel continued: “The best part of the festival is the connections you make in terms of friendships and the people you meet. People will come up to you and share stories of the Rose of Tralee. People who have such fond memories of the Rose of Tralee want to share it with you and they want to tell you stories about it and you realise how much it means to some people and it's those kinds of connections that are so special.

“We never have much to celebrate in Westmeath. This experience and the people I've met has made me realise that our county is just as good if not better than other counties."

Rachel will be singing the famous, traditional song 'Teddy O'Neill' in Tralee for the final. She elaborated: I am a little bit nervous but the practice I’ve had singing at various events during my time as the Westmeath Rose has helped me become more comfortable in front of a crowd. To be honest I’m trying not to think about it too much, I will cross that hurdle when I come to it."

Rachel is looking forward to representing the Lake County in Tralee and concluded: "The first day of the festival (August 19) will probably be a day I'll remember for the rest of my life.”

The Rose of Tralee festival will take place from Friday, August 19 to Tuesday, August 23 and the televised shows will be broadcast on Monday, August 22 and Tuesday, August 23 at Munster Technological University’s Kerry Sports Academy.

All Roses who go to the festival in Tralee now go on the RTE TV show. The competition has a system in place whereby centres only send a rose every second year in Ireland, bar Kerry, Cork and Dublin who put forward a Rose every year. This guarantees the correct number of Roses for the TV show, eliminating any need to exclude Roses at any stage.

Rachel is the daughter of Eamonn Duffy and the late Cathy Duffy (née Lynch) originally from Ballymore.

The last Rose to represent Westmeath was Coralstown native Leanne Quinn in 2018 who famously powerlifted host Daithí Ó Sé on stage.