Derry Rose Sarah Colhoun at Rose of Tralee 2017 with host Daithi O’ Se
ROSE of Tralee organisers have revealed they’re looking for men to sign up as escorts for this year’s pageant.
Festival chiefs have put a call out to young men to put themselves forward for the job before the deadline next month.
Hopefuls must be male, reached the age of 21 by January 1 and not have 31 on or prior to September 1.
They must be unmarried or never been married, and escorts need to have been born in Ireland or have Irish ancestry.
Applicants need to be available for Selection events and if selected, be available for the International Festival events from August 15 to 21 in Tralee, with the event broadcast live on RTE on August 19 and 20.
Each candidate will also be charged an application fee and those who are chosen will have to raise sponsorship of €1,500.
Interviews will take place at the Glen Royal Hotel and Leisure Club in Maynooth, Co Kildare in April.
The successful candidates will then take part in a team-building bootcamp in June at some of Kerry’s most stunning locations.
Last year’s Rose Escort of the Year Thomas Lynch described being involved in the event as a “once in a lifetime, bucket list item”.
He said: “You meet so many people through the festival, that the benefit of getting involved isn’t the week-long festival. “It’s the year after, and from what I can see from previous Rose Escorts, it’s the years after that too.”
“Being from Kerry, I was always a huge fan of the Festival.
“I grew up watching the parades, going to the Town Park and enjoying the selections on TV, so when a friend of mine suggested I sign up to be Rose Escort, it was really a no-brainer.
“It’s such a fantastic week with so much packed in it’s hard to choose highlights.”
Rose of Tralee Dr Jennifer Byrne also said that escorts are guaranteed to have the “time of their lives”.
“The overall experience of the Rose of Tralee for me and the other Roses was all the richer thanks to the laughter and energy that the Rose Escorts brought to the event,” she said.
“We value their support and companionship during the very busy week.
“Having the time of their lives is guaranteed and the friendships made during the Festival are lasting.”
Visit www.roseoftralee.ie/apply for applications. The deadline is March 20.
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