The President, Mrs McAleese, last night paid tribute to the Festival of Kerry's ability to celebrate femininity and foster Irish culture and tradition. Mrs McAleese was guest of honour at a special function in Tralee to mark the 40th anniversary of the festival. Former Rose of Tralee title-holders, presidents, chairwomen and secretaries were also present at the function, which forms part of a week of festival anniversary activities.
Describing the Rose of Tralee as a national institution, Mrs McAleese said the primary appeal of the Rose of Tralee, "unlike the genre of annual festivals around the world which, despite growing international distaste, exploit rather than celebrate femininity . . . is the manner in which it fosters and celebrates Irish culture and tradition".
She said the success of the Rose of Tralee international festival is the success of the many generations who have left our shores. "The challenges they faced were considerable but their links with their homeland were constant and were maintained by their love of Irish culture in all its forms."
The President also paid tribute to the significant contribution the festival makes to the area's tourism economy and its positive effect, not only of generating international revenue, but also of helping to provide sustainable employment.
Welcoming Mrs McAleese, the festival president, Mr Seamus O'Halloran, said the committee viewed her presence as recognition of the efforts of the people of Tralee over 40 years to reach out to Irish communities around the world.
Among those present at last night's function were the first Rose of Tralee, Ms Alice O'Sullivan, who won in 1959; and the 1972 Rose, Ms Claire Dubbendorfer from Zurich, who is on her first return visit. Two former
Ulster Roses, Ms Therese Gillespie and Ms Veronica McCambridge, both of whom married their escorts and now live in Tralee, also attended. Guests at the reception included the Minister for Justice, Mr O'Donoghue, Mr Denis Foley TD, Mr Jimmy Deenihan TD, and the Kerry county manager, Mr Martin Nolan. Later last night, the first of a two-night televised selection took place from the festival's new home in the Mount Brandon Hotel conference centre. The final selection night of last year's festival had to be postponed when high winds and rain made the festival dome unsafe.
Marty Whelan will again compere this year's selection, with former compere, Gay Byrne, once more joining the judging panel.
Each of the contestants has already met at least one eligible bachelor, with Radio Kerry journalist, Niall Madigan, who represented north Kerry in this year's Ballybunnion International Bachelor Festival, co-hosting the station's daily programme, Backstage at the Festival. While the Roses spent yesterday preparing for their televised interviews, a number visited Dingle. Others met patients in Tralee hospital. At a civic reception, the county manager extended sympathy to the families of those bereaved and injured in the Omagh bombing.
The contestants had been due to visit Belfast as part of the festival's 40th birthday celebrations. The visit was cancelled as a mark of respect to the Omagh dead.