New judges and a new presenter, as well as the expectation that the event will earn a modest profit, are among the new features of this year's Rose of Tralee festival.
Among her prizes, the winner of the 2005 title will receive global travel sponsorship to the tune of €25,000 from Kerry Group.
The 30 Roses - who include 10 Irish, eight American, five Australian, three English and one Rose each from Dubai, Luxembourg, New Zealand and Toronto - began the first visit to Northern Ireland yesterday in the festival's 47-year history.
They arrived in Armagh yesterday afternoon and were set to spend the night in Derry before visiting Belfast.
The Roses fly to Cork tomorrow morning and will lunch at the Sheen Falls Hotel in Kenmare before the festival's formal opening and international Rose ball later that evening. Media and communications are among the most common professions of this year's roses. Music degrees are also popular, as are the science and engineering fields.
Esther Budding (24), a barrister, represents New Zealand, which is back in the festival after an absence. Leitrim Rose Pamela Bourke (21) teaches in Japan, and Kerry Rose Siobhán Ryan (22) is a hotel management student on her first placement at the Sheen Falls Hotel. This year's judges for the first time include a former Rose of Tralee - 1987 Chicago Rose Lana Canoy Lackner - as well as mayor of Tralee Terry O'Brien. Broadcaster Sharon Ní Bheoláin is also on the panel of judges, chaired by Oonagh Doyle of Newbridge Silverware and including Smart Telecom's Ken Barry.
Ted Keane, festival spokesman, said the five directors who had set about revamping the festival last year expected to turn a modest operating profit this year, as against the losses incurred over the previous number of years.The festival finals, hosted by Ray D'Arcy this year, who has replaced Ryan Tubridy, will go out live on RTÉ on Monday and Tuesday nights.