Three Roses bloom in Ballina

HOUSE VISIT Pictured during visit to Victoria House, Ballina former home of Mary Robinson and future home of the Mary Robinson Centre, from left: Susan Heffernan, Project Management and Marketing Consultant of the Mary Robinson Centre; Gerry Jordan, Mary Robinson Foundation; Elysha Brennan, International Rose of Tralee 2015; Adrian Bourke, Siochfreadh Ní LachtnΡin, Mayo Rose 2015; Donnacha Roche, Mayo Rose Centre and Maria Walsh,  the 2014 International Rose of Tralee. Pic: Michael Donnelly

The rain stopped and the sun came out in Ballina on Sunday when three roses came to town to visit the north Mayo capital. The current Rose of Tralee Elysha Brennan was on her first visit to Mayo since her win last August and she was accompanied by last year winner, Maria Walsh and current Mayo Rose, Siochfreadh Ni Lachtnain.
A large crowd gathered outside the Jackie Clarke Collection in Ballina to meet the ladies and Elysha stopped for photographs before been officially welcomed to the Jackie Clarke Collection by Manager Edel Golden, was herself was also a former Mayo Rose entrant.  
The Roses enjoyed a tour of the exhibition including the Nollaig na mBan (special exhibition). The Jackie Clarke Collection is the only collection known to have a copy of the 1916 Proclamation, issued at Easter 1916, and the 1917 Proclamation, issued by Cumman na mBan to commemorate the Rising. It can be identified by a spelling mistake, which Edel Golden showed to the Roses.
Next stop for the Roses was a visit to Victoria House, former home of Mary Robinson and future home of the Mary Robinson Centre. Susan Heffernan, Project Management and Marketing Consultant of the Mary Robinson Centre introduced Elysha, Siochfreadh and Maria to Adrian Bourke, brother of Ms Robinson, who showed them around the House where his sister grew up.
Donnacha Roche, from the Mayo Rose Centre, was delighted to announce in marking the occasion that the 2016 Mayo Rose Selection would take place on the same day as Mary Robinson’s birthday, May 21, in the Castlecourt Hotel, Westport.
The last business of the day was a visit to Mount Falcon where Elysha, Siochfreadh and Maria were welcomed by Evan Butler, Sales and Marketing Manager. Evan and his team provided five star hospitality to the Roses.
Elysha said she would encourage any girl to go forward and fill in the application form for this year’s Rose of Tralee, which can be downloaded from the Rose of Tralee website.
“I never dreamed that I would one day be the Rose of Tralee, It was a dream, and my dream came true,” said added.