Married women and those aged 29 are now eligible to enter the Rose of Tralee Festival, according to one of the organisers.
The executive chair of the festival said rules of entry change every three to four years in order "keep abreast of what's happening in the world".
Speaking on RTÉ's Morning Ireland, Anthony O'Gara said the way people live their lives is constantly changing, pointing out that people are getting married later now.
Mr O'Gara said that the festival was asked a few years ago to clarify that trans people could apply, which they could, but organisers wanted to reconfirm this because the festival has been in hiatus for the last two years.
He said that organisers are looking forward to welcoming contestants back next year, after the Covid-19 pandemic caused postponement since 2019.
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He added that married women were not allowed apply previously simply because it was "reflective" of the tradition of the festival and the world at that time.
He said there is an age limit because it is a festival that "celebrates young women".
He said the finals will be held in Tralee again this year, but probably not in the Dome.
Like everybody else in the world, the festival has been affected financially by Covid, he said, and the TV programme may come from a different place this year.
