Part two of the Rose of Tralee contest, postponed last night because of high winds buffeting the temporary canvas-covered Dome in which it is held, will go ahead tonight. The weather raised fears about public safety in the Dome, forcing a postponement for the first time in the contest's 39 years.
Speaking in Tralee last night, RTE's managing director television, Mr Joe Mulholland, said it was "not possible to postpone it beyond Thursday".
It would be broadcast tonight on RTE 1 television from 9.30 p.m., he said. Prime Time, scheduled for 9.30 p.m. tonight on RTE 1, will be shown on Network 2.
Mr Mulholland said there would be an inspection of the Dome this morning to see if tonight's broadcast would take place from there. But as the weather forecast was not good for today, he thought it likely the contest would be staged at Tralee's Siamsa Tire theatre.
As it has seating for just 350 people, the broadcast would be relayed to a large screen in the Brandon Hotel conference centre, which could accommodate a further 1,000 people, he said. The Dome accommodates 2,500.
But a decision on the venue will not be taken until this morning.
The original Dome, which was like a circus Big Top, was blown down in 1983, a few days after the contest had ended that year.
It was replaced by the present temporary Dome structure which is built around aluminium frames, designed to withstand winds of up to storm force 12. The forecast last night was for gale force nine winds. But it was feared the audience might panic should fittings come loose.
The contest's presenter, Marty Whelan, said that during rehearsals in the Dome yesterday morning, neither he nor the contestants could hear one another, as winds whipped at the canvas covering. "Some of the Roses couldn't hear themselves singing," he said.
"Safety was our primary concern, regardless of the cost," said Mr Colm Molloy, head of customer services and marketing at RTE.
Both he and Mr Mulholland also emphasised their obligation to fulfill the station's commitments to the Rose of Tralee festival.
RTE 1 broadcast a two-hour Batman film instead of the Rose contest last night. It was considered "good family viewing", Mr Mulholland said.
The festival president, Mr Seamus O'Halloran, said the deferral would be "costly", but was necessary. Further accommodation had to be organised at short notice for the contestants, whose families would also be inconvenienced, he said.
He thanked the contest judges and the Garda Band for agreeing so readily to be available for an extra night, at short notice.
According to RTE, 820,000 viewers watched the first night of the Rose of Tralee from the Dome on Tuesday, which puts it in the top five programmes of the year so far.
