The first night of The Rose of Tralee Festival saw a fake cow being milked, an ugly stick busting some moves on stage and some impressive napkin folding skills. The standards were set for night two of the much-loved event. Check out some of the highlights here!
We are Family
Sydney Rose Caitlin Macinante is a legacy Rose, following in the footsteps of her mother who was the Sydney Rose in 1980.
With old photos of her mother taking part in the Rose of Tralee flashing on screen, Caitlin said, "That was incredible, I was talking to my sister and we were saying we remember all of these photos and the ones we really remember are mum in the parade.
"To go down the streets now and wave and see all the kids and family, its incredible."
Caitlin's mum was not in the audience, but her dad was, which she said is great as it's allowing him to gain an understanding of something "so significant in my mum's life."
"She said she never had a tougher interview than the one she had on the Rose of Tralee," Caitlin said of her mum's recollection of her time on the Rose of Tralee, before adding, "She got so much out of the experience."
Jerry! Jerry!
Cork Rose Érinn O'Connell was given a big surprise on Tuesday's show when Dáithí brought up some of her TV viewing habits of the past…
Asking her if she was a big Jerry Springer fan as a teenager, Érinn was quick to correct him that she was more like 4 or 5 years old, and recalled a trip to the Rose of Tralee as a child that ended in her up in the wee hours watching the reality talk show for hours when she couldn't sleep.
Unable to sleep, Érinn went downstairs to watch TV and "stumbled across" the show for the first time.
Then the real Jerry Springer flashed up on screen with a video message of luck for the Cork Rose, and a message for Dáithí too.
"Tell Dáithí that the next time I'm on Irish soil we've got to get together again," he said after wishing Érinn luck in the contest.
Chants of Jerry! Jerry! around the audience naturally ensued.
Jerry springer on the #RoseOfTralee has just made my night! JERRY JERRY JERRY
— Sugar tits (@internetuglyy) August 21, 2018
Hahaha the lads ranting "Jerry, Jerry, Jerry!" Is literally the most IRISH thing I’ve ever heard I’m WHEEZING #RoseOfTralee
— TheChartExpress (@TheChartExpres) August 21, 2018
Life is a Rollercoaster
Melbourne Rose Suzie Jackson belted out a gorgeous rendition of Ronan Keating’s When You Say Nothing at All in tribute to her late auntie, Olive.
The 27-year-old nurse dedicated her version of the well-known track to her relative who always smiled when the track was played.
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"I’m going to sing a song by Ronan Keating called When You Say Nothing at All," she said.
"It has a special meaning in my heart because my auntie Olive had Down Syndrome and she passed away three years ago and I was very close to her.
"This song was the only song that made her smile because she lost her speech in the last few months. I hope I make you all smile tonight!".
Return to Sender
Mayo Rose Rachel Gibbons, who hails from a small village called Carnacon in Co. Mayo, told Dáithí about a time that she found herself in an unfortunate situation with her local postman, and we could all feel her pain!
"This was meant to stay on the bus so whichever one of you girls told somebody about this, I'm not impressed," she laughed as she looked out at her fellow Roses after Dáithí asked her about the incident.
"So we live on a little bohereen and we live at the top of the road, so no one ever comes up, if anyone comes up to the top of the road, they're lost," Rachel explained.
"Curtains and blinds don't get used that often, because there's never anyone around. I came out of the shower one day and was in my room and was just going over to pull the blinds down and the post man just drove right up to the window and he saw me as naked as the day I was born."
That postman going to sleep last night! #RoseofTralee #RoseOfTralee2018 pic.twitter.com/zIu5z8vDCz
— Fintan Marron (@FintanMusic) August 21, 2018
Dáithí, ever the joker, put the fear of God into Rachel for a split second when he said, "And the funny thing about it is, the same post man took a selfie… Have a look at this…. Ah I'm only joking."
The relief on her face was evident, laughs spread around the festival dome, and we can all sympathise with finding yourself in such a cringy position!
Home and Away
Perth Rose Laura Cannon left the beautiful hills of Donegal to follow her boyfriend Charlie to Australia. The 25-year-old nurse, who works in Oncology and Palliative Care, admitted she misses her family but said she knew she had to follow her heart.
"I went to the other side of the world on a holiday just over 4 years ago and I got my residency 3 years ago so I moved permanently then," Laura told Dáithí.
"I followed somebody to Australia; Charlie. I met Charlie one Christmas when he came home… It was love at first sight."
Dáithí quipped, "For you or for him?" to which she replied, "For him… We were just chatting for a few months then I went out to meet his parents and I moved out to Australia.
"I was happy to make the move, I'd been there so many times and knew where I was going."
#perthrose @daithi_ose asking all the questions 😂 such a sweet woman well done! #roseoftralee
— Maggie McEldowney (@2016RoseMaggie) August 21, 2018
The Dingle Bay Rose
Germany Rose Giulia Kearney created a splash on the second night of this year's Rose of Tralee live shows when she was joined on stage by James Patrice dressed as a dolphin.
The 22-year-old, who is currently living in Kiehl where she is studying law, told of her mother's love of the dolphin Funghi.
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"At home in Germany I'm surrounded by pictures of Funghi," Giulia said as she recalled going to Dingle with her family as a child and watching her mum jump in the sea to swim with the dolphin.
Funghi was unavailable to make it to the Rose of Tralee Festival Dome, but fear not – backstage presenter James Patrice was on hand to fin in.
Age is just a number!
London Rose Gráinne Hawkes was left shocked when her grandmother was presented with a sash and deemed an honorary Rose during the live show.
Dáithí then surprised Gráinne by sending the show's backstage reporter James Patrice down into the audience to present her gran with a very special sash.
He said: "Because she is here in the Dome tonight we are going to make her an Honorary Rose," he said.
Gráinne's beaming gran couldn't hide her excitement, and quipped: "I'm shocked by this."
Honourary Rose, 98 year old Nora Hawkes, grandmother of the London Rose, Gráinne receives her tiara and sash from @jamespatrice.#RoseofTralee pic.twitter.com/f0o9RMh17M
— RTE One (@RTEOne) August 21, 2018
For more on this year's competition and for all of the highlights throughout the night, click here
