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The Rose of Tralee contestants – including Enda Kenny’s niece, Mayo Rose Dervla Kenny – will visit Westport next month
GAME FOR A LAUGH Rose of Tralee favourite, Dervla Kenny, is pictured having a laugh with her uncle, An Taoiseach Enda Kenny, and Giovanni Trappatoni before the pair climbed Croagh Patrick in April. ?Pic: Paul Mealey
Mayo to the forefront of 2012 Rose of Tralee Festival
The Rose of Tralee International Festival is one of Ireland’s largest and longest running festivals and there are plenty of Mayo connections to this year’s festival, which starts next month. This year, Mayo’s chance of taking the crown lies with Dervla Kenny. The Mayo Rose, who is currently favourite to win with most bookmakers, is an occupational therapist at the National Rehabilitation Hospital, Dun Laoghaire, where she works in the Acquired and Traumatic Brain Injury Programme. The 26-year-old niece and godchild of An Taoiseach, Enda Kenny, will take part in the festival which sees 32 Roses from home and abroad, take to the stage with host DΡithí Ó Sé. Another person who will be flying the green and red at the Dome, will be Westport’s Stephen Sheridan. Stephen, a primary school teacher at Scoil Mhuire, Shankill, Dublin will be an escort to one of the Roses throughout the duration of the festival. As a major sponsor of the international festival, the Carlton Hotel Group has invited the Roses to Westport with its local hotel, the Carlton Atlantic Coast Hotel hosting the Roses during their stay in the town on August 15. This is the first time that all Roses will have visited Westport during the annual tour of the country. The Roses will arrive into Westport town in a procession of Mayo Vintage Cars sponsored by the Connacht Vintage and Veteran Motor Club. On arrival at the Quay they will be welcomed by Minister of State for Tourism and Sport Michael Ring. To mark the occasion the hotel have teamed up with the Westport Lions Club and national charity AWARE, to create an evening of entertainment. Evening festivities will commence at 8pm, welcoming the Roses to the Carlton Atlantic Coast Hotel with a champagne reception, a seafood bar and a charity casino evening with music and prize draws. All proceeds raised will be given to AWARE. To complete the event there will be midnight fireworks over Clew Bay. Tickets are on sale for the evening event at €25 each, available from the Carlton Atlantic Coast Hotel 098 29000.
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