Mayo Rose hands over crown in ‘bittersweet moment’

Ciara Galvin

MAYO’S Maria Walsh handed over her Rose of Tralee crown last night (Tuesday) to Meath Rose Elysha Brennan.
After notching up a dizzying amount of air miles travelling the globe, visiting all 32 counties here in Ireland and running and cycling 242km to Tralee, Co Kerry, the Shrule native was on hand at the Dome to hand over her crown and sash to the 22-year-old Meath Rose.
The new Rose is currently studying Medicine at the Royal College of Surgeons and will embark on what Shrule native Maria describes as ‘an amazing year ahead’.
The bookies were once again on the money, having placed Elysha as favourite. The Hodgkin’s Lymphoma survivor paid tribute to her predecessor last night saying ‘I hope to do the Rose of Tralee proud, and I certainly have the biggest shoes I’ve ever known to fill after Maria Walsh – you’ve had the most incredible year’.
Speaking on her final day as Rose of Tralee yesterday, Maria said she had ‘no regrets’ looking back on her year.
“The greatest thing about this is I have no regrets from my year and I have achieved everything that I could have ever thought about achieving … one of these women is has an amazing year ahead,” said Walsh.
When asked how she was feeling before handing over the crown last night, Maria said ‘It’s a bittersweet moment’. She was joined in the Dome last night by parents Vincent and Noreen.
The journalism graduate now hopes to pursue a career in Ireland, possibly in media. But for now, no doubt, she is looking forward to catching up on some well-deserved rest.