The Rose of Tralee International Festival has issued a strongly-worded statement condemning recent "targeted behaviour" towards the 2026 Dublin Rose Suad Mooge.
Sligo-born Ms Mooge won the Dublin Rose title last week and will represent the capital at the Rose of Tralee in Co Kerry this August.
However, her victory was met with comments of a racist nature online, with Ms Mooge saying she is "shocked but not surprised" at posts on social media by people saying she "is not Irish".
Speaking on Liveline earlier this week, she said that as a person of colour "it's part of the experience of growing up" in Ireland."
She added: "It's just been a lot of 'you're not Irish', I think basically that's kinda been the general consensus on the socials.
"You know a lot of mentions about skin tone, religion and a lot of people saying 'you know, she had no Irish heritage, she was not born here' and yeah, just along those lines."
In a statement issued on Thursday, CEO of the Rose of Tralee Anthony O’Gara said that the festival "unequivocally condemn the racism and abuse" directed at Ms Mooge, adding that the event "commends Suad for the dignity and strength she has shown".
The full statement from Mr O'Gara reads, "Suad Mooge is the 2026 Dublin Rose, chosen by her community from an exceptional group of thirty-eight women, and a worthy and popular winner. We are proud to have such an accomplished woman represent Dublin at this year’s Festival.
"The Rose of Tralee International Festival celebrates Irish women from every background, culture and community, at home and around the world. That has always been at the heart of the Festival and remains central to who we are today.
"We unequivocally condemn the racism and abuse directed at Suad. There is no place for this behaviour, online or otherwise. No individual should be subjected to it, and we commend Suad for the dignity and strength she has shown.
"The Festival wholeheartedly supports Suad and we look forward to welcoming her on her exciting journey to Tralee in August and indeed through the rest of her year as the Dublin Rose.
"We will not be engaging further on this, nor amplifying commentary that seeks to misrepresent Suad or the Festival."
During her Liveline interview, Ms Mooge also said that the negative comments about her online haven't really fazed her much, as she has heard it before.
However, she said she was surprised at the "volume of hate".
"It has been constant ever since being posted. It was ok, quiet for the first day and then it just went 'boom', mad overnight."
Asked whether she feels reluctant to put herself forward for things due to such negativity online, she said: "No, absolutely not, never.
"If anything, I actually take pride in going forward for things like this. Considering the reaction that I've received, change is needed and I'm just grateful to be given the opportunity to be at the forefront of this and to represent other communities.
"And to show girls who kinda see themselves in me that 'you can go for this, this is open to you and there is no reason why not, you can go for this'."
Suad said those who post negative comments are "running on a hate train", and that they haven't read her bio, as it clearly states she was born in Sligo. But, instead, she said those people are making presumptions and saying she was born in another country.
She said those making such comments "are a very small group of people, who are just very loud" but there has also been "a lot of positive feedback".
"This does not represent Ireland; this does not represent people's opinions. It's just a very small, loud group of people with a lot of time on their hands and just putting a lot of hate out there.
"As long as I know myself that I'm Irish, I'm very confident and secure in that fact," she said.
