Edmonton's Rose of Tralee
The First in Western Canada
By CATHOLINE BUTLER
Moira Quirke of the Irish Sports and Social Society Edmonton is the organizer for the Edmonton Rose of Tralee contest and this was the first year that Edmonton entered the festival - in fact, the Edmonton Rose of Tralee is the first in Western Canada.
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MOIRA QUIRKE
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Jessica Bell was selected as the winner of the 2007 Edmonton Wild Irish Rose at a lavish banquet at the Edmonton Irish Club on April 27. The 20-year-old second year student at the faculty of science at the University of Alberta, is an accomplished dancer, singer and musician. Her proud parents are Merv and Patricia Bell of Edmonton.
I spoke to Moira Quirke on my recent visit to Edmonton and she discussed the protocol of entering a contestant into the Rose of Tralee Festival held each year in County Kerry in Ireland.
"There is a lot of contact with the official office in Tralee concerning time lines and events," she said. "Organizers must follow their guidelines and rules before we start advertising, promoting and fundraising the contest locally.
"Then we have a wine and cheese party where the contestants get to meet one another, followed by a dinner dance for the selection and then the crowning of the Edmonton Rose."
To qualify, the girls must be over 18 and under 28 years old. Never married, no dependants, no children, and of Irish background. This is not just a beauty contest, they are looking for a modern, all-around good woman, who would be a good ambassador for the Edmonton Irish.
Since this was Edmonton's first year, they had only three and a half months to prepare but plans are now already underway for next year.
Moira said, "We will have a full committee and start working on it earlier. Many of our club members have daughters, grand-daughters, or nieces, who would also be eligible to enter.
"One of the things we learned is that we will have the crowning of the Rose later in the year. Many of the contestants who would liked to have entered were in university and this is exam time. Nevertheless, we are very pleased."
She said, "we had eight entries into the Edmonton Rose of Tralee contest this year. The girls who entered were all of university age or recent graduates, and all from around Alberta. They were all really lovely girls."
Toronto has had a Rose of Tralee for several years but Edmonton is the first one in Western Canada. Next year, Newfoundland plans to have a Rose of Tralee as well.
Moira's parents are both from Kerry and Moira has lived in both Ireland and Canada. She has also attended the Rose of Tralee pagents many times in both Kerry and Toronto.
Both Moira's daughters are Irish dancers and her daughter Catherine, who just finished university, is just beginning to teach Irish dancing and working on her teacher's license.
Watch The Celtic Connection for more information on how to enter the 2008 Edmonton Wild Irish Rose.
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ROSE OF TRALEE WINNER Jessica Bell with proud Kerrymen, Liam Mclelland, Denis Walsh and Sean Murphy. |
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