New Rose of Tralee takes trip back to her Galway roots

It was a mix between a red carpet event and the return of a victorious Galway football team but not quite; a touch of glamour and a homecoming of sorts.

And it was definitely a first for the Connemara Gaeltacht – a private visit by a newly crowned Rose of Tralee. Because even though Maria Walsh is American born, she is one of their own.

Maria, who represented Philadelphia, has spent many a summer with her cousins, the Molloys in Doireann Darach in Tír an Fhia and it was one of the first places she wanted to visit after being crowned the 2014 Rose on the previous Tuesday in the Dome.

Maria, who hasn’t been out of the newspapers since her win – partly because of her revelation that she is gay – was determined to pay homage to the memory of her late cousin, 19 year old Teresa Molloy, who died, along with four college friends, in a car accident on the Tuam Road in November 2009.

On Saturday over 400 people turned up at the Sportlánn to see her as she attended an impromptu ‘private’ event – in other words, not one organised by the Rose of Tralee festival.

She was formally welcomed by Raidio na Gaeltachta broadcaster, Máirtin Tom Sheanín who later appropriately sang, An Cailín Álainn for her. Two other local musicians PJ and Michael Sonny Ó Conghaile played a few tunes adding a celebratory atmosphere to the event.

Teas and coffees, scones and buns were served while Maria mingled with the crowd, signing autographs and posing for photographs for over three hours.

See full story in this week’s Connacht Tribune