What does a DNA test, an age limit rise and not entering the Mary From Dungloe competition have in common?
These are a few of the reasons that inspired some of this year's Rose Of Tralee contestants to enter the competition.
Thirty two women from around the world have entered the 60th annual Rose Of Tralee competition.
The Arizona Rose Kayla Gray, 27, did not know she was of Irish descent until three years ago, after she did a DNA test.
"My father was adopted and I could only go as far as my grandmother on my mother's side", she explained.
The London Rose, Laura Kennedy, decided in 1999 that she would enter the competition after Geraldine O'Grady won.
Last year she entered the heats for the competition aged 28 but was not successful, and thought she would not be able to enter it again as she would be over the age.
Fortuitously, the qualifying age was raised this year to 29 so she entered again and was selected.
The South Carolina Rose, 25-year-old actress Cat McWhirter, can trace her Irish ancestry back seven generations to Northern Ireland and the midlands.
The actress said that she identified her ancestry as far back as a genealogical website let her go.
The Donegal Rose, Chloe Kennedy, did not enter the Mary Of Dungloe competition as she was selected to represent her county in The Rose Of Tralee but the "other girls from my heat went on to compete in it, I was really proud to see them at another great festival."
The Maynooth psychology student just left her summer job scooping ice cream.
Meet all this year's entrants here.
Make sure to watch The Rose of Tralee International Festival 2019 competition live on RTÉ One at 8pm on Monday August 26 & Tuesday August 27.
