A 22-year-old Cork woman was the toast of the Kingdom last night. Ms Geraldine O'Grady, from Macroom was crowned the 1999 Rose of Tralee and was later mobbed by well-wishers as she made her way through the town.
"I never saw myself as Rose material,' said a cool and confident Ms O'Grady after the Festival of Kerry President, Mr Bryan Cunningham announced her selection following a four hour live television show from the dome.
She is a student at UCC and has taken a year off to travel and study drama before returning to college to do a masters in history. She hopes to pursue a career in the media or in public relations.
Ms O'Grady gets a Waterford Crystal trophy and £3,000. She lists her hobbies as singing and acting and her dislikes as "insincerity, answering machines, close mindedness and cold feet". She experienced none last night.
An audience of 1,600 people, including guests and relatives of the Roses, attended the event.
Before going on stage, the contest was vigorously defended by Marty Whelan, who was clearly less than impressed by some of the negative media comment. "I have a problem with people giving out about it. It is a show many people enjoy. It is not just a beauty contest. It is about personality and the Irish heritage of those taking part, and it is a very big deal for the many people who come from the various Festival of Kerry centres around the world. You have to respect that."
While the focus is on the Rose selection, the showpiece of the 40-year-old Festival of Kerry, the escorts had their own competition for the first time this year. Mr Stanley O'Reilly (25), from Clonmel, Co Tipperary, was voted by the Roses as the Escort of the Year.
