So who will be crowned Kerry Rose 2022?
All will be revealed after a gala night of celebrations in Siamasa Tire, Tralee on Saturday, June 4 at which they 23 contestants will be interviewed live on stage.
Here, KillarneyToday.com presents an introduction to this year’s Kerry Rose finalists
Aislinn Burke
Gleneagle Hotel and Apartments
Aislinn lives on the outskirts of Killarney town. She is 19-years-old and is a second-year nursing student in MTU Tralee. She has a passion for the Irish language as she has been speaking it since she was four years of age and in her free time, she enjoys playing the piano. Her mother and father first met at the Rose of Tralee in 1990 and so, she was always told that it was written in the stars that she should one day be a Kerry Rose, which is why the festival holds a special place in her heart.
Amanda O’Sullivan
The White House Guesthouse
At 29, Amanda is a hotel manager from Kells and works in Kinsale. A passionate mental health advocate, Amanda regularly volunteers for suicide prevention charity, Pieta. It’s very close to her heart as she has lost too many great friends along the way. Her friends say she is a kind soul and would help anyone in need, at any time. She is the youngest of four and was raised on a busy farm. Car obsessed Amanda can often be spotted frequenting her local town of Kinsale in her pride and joy, her blue BMW.
Amy Galwey
Moriarty’s Centra, Farranfore
Amy was born and bred in Currow and she is involved in lots of aspects of the village. Amy plays football and basketball with the local club and also coaches an underage basketball team. She is a senior member of the local youth club. Amy has done a lot of fundraising for cancer as, unfortunately, it’s a cause close to her heart. Amy would be delighted to represent Kerry in the Rose of Tralee as, funnily enough, the festival is the same age as her mom would be as they share the same birthday.
Ashling O’Sullivan
The Sheehan Clinic
Ashling is from Waterville. Her childhood dream came through in 2015, when she joined An Garda Síochana and is currently stationed in Roxboro Road, Limerick. Ashling has just completed her final year of a Bachelor of Laws degree. Sh is actively involved with Macra na Feirme and particularly enjoys the social and sporting events associated with the charity. Ashling likes running and hill walking and has trekked to Everest base camp. She loves to travel and has been to Australia, New Zealand, a number of countries in Asia and some European and American cities. She is currently planning her first trip to Africa.
Bernadette O’Connor
Nedar Heat
Bernadette works as a Special Needs Assistant in Tralee. She has had a varied career to date having a Diploma in Dental Nursing and Beauty Therapy. She is part of the GAA Health and Wellbeing initiative and, as a member, she volunteers for the Little Stars Programme which facilitates inclusion of children with additional needs in GAA. Bernadette is passionate about raising awareness for mental health and is currently fundraising for Pieta. She wants to honour her mom’s memory by entering the Kerry Rose as her mother was a contestant in the 1980s and it was her dream for one of her girls to follow in her footsteps.
Breda Fleming
Aghadoe Heights Hotel and Spa
Breda, from Milltown, holds a BA in Psychology, along with a First Class Honours Masters in Work and Organisational Psychology from UL. She is a Human Resources Manager for both the Aghadoe Heights Hotel and the Anner Hotel. She is the youngest of a small family but grew up in a very busy household, helping to care for her grandparents. Breda is passionate about music and is often heard singing in her local choir. She has won the Permanent TSB High Achievers Award for Voice. Breda loves to travel, she represented her parish at World Youth Day in Krakow and has completed a skydive in New Zealand.
Clodagh Dermody
The Mute Swan
Clodagh was born in Killarney 26 years ago. Her mother hails from the lovely Maharees in the Dingle peninsula and her father is from Carlow. Her passion for art was evident from a young age and so she followed her heart and spent four happy years studying a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Fine Art and Design in Cork. An opportunity arose to return to the Kingdom, where she opened a café with her father during lockdown. Her passions include rowing as well as her adorable, adopted donkeys, Sam and Tom, and her lovely, adopted cat, Nala.
Édaein O’Connell
Garvey’s SuperValu, Listowel
Édaein hails from a place called Glenderry, located a mere 10-minute drive from Listowel. Born and bred in the north Kerry area, she was schooled at both Dromclough National School and the Presentation Convent Secondary School in Listowel town. At 17, she attended NUIG in Galway to study Civil Law. After this, she completed a higher diploma in Business Studies at the same institution and a master’s in digital marketing from DIT. Édaein happened upon a career in journalism. Writing on everything from fashion to travel to pop culture, she has written for several publications. In her spare time, she is an avid reader and a keen singer, having won two All-Ireland Fleadh Cheoil titles back in the day.
Eimear Horgan
Carbery Cracker
Eimear is a 23-year-old commercial graduate working in the marketing and sustainability departments of Carbery Group in West Cork. Growing up in Castleisland, gave Eimear the opportunity to get involved in all types of sport, eventually settling on badminton. She has played for Kerry, UCC and now Cork. In addition to this, she enjoys set dancing and plays piano and harp, often performing for wedding receptions all around Kerry. Eimear qualified with a First-Class Honours Degree in Commerce International with Hispanic Studies in 2021 and spent her Erasmus year in Bilbao in the Basque Country, immersing herself in the culture and exploring Spain.
Emma Browne
Enable Ireland
26-year-old Emma, from Kenmare, works as a facilitator for Enable Ireland’s national virtual service. She enjoys meeting people and exploring new places and scenery. Her hobbies include designing hand-made cards and taking photographs. Emma’s photographs were recently displayed in an exhibition which has travelled through the county called Adventure Lockdown. She adores animals and enjoys being out and about on her family farm and taking part in Kerry social farming. Over the years Emma has been involved in fundraising for many different charities which includes the Irish Cancer Society, Dogs for the Disabled and Pieta.
Heather Grey
Kevin Leslie Contracting Ltd
Heather is a 25-year-old pioneer and a special education teacher from Castlemaine. She has a degree in English and Gaeilge, and a Masters in Education. Heather is a professional singer, dancer and musician and has travelled the world competing and touring. She enjoys farming and hopes to complete her green cert soon. Heather has received awards in dancing, singing, music, judo, athletics and art. At 14 she began volunteering as a Scór mentor and is heavily involved in her community. Heather donated her hair to help children with hair loss and has been actively involved with many charities including Women’s Aid and Autism Assistance Dogs Ireland. Her passions lie in Irish culture and special education.
Jennifer O’Connor
AsIAm
Jennifer is a 27-year-old Adult Support and Wellbeing Officer for Ireland’s national autism charity, AsIAm. Through her work with she helps to reduce social isolation and underemployment in the adult autistic community. Jennifer has a passion for writing, Literature and prose. She completed her BA and MSc in writing and linguistics at the National University of Ireland, Galway. In September, Jennifer intends to begin a PhD Programme in Literary Practice and research representations of disabled women in literature. Originally from Abbeydorney, Jennifer resides in Dún Laoghaire, Co Dublin. She enjoys spending time with her cousins and grandparents and writing in her spare time.
Katie Foley
Vic Murphy Beauty
Katie is 28-years-old. She is originally from Mallow, Co Cork but moved to the village of Ardfert with her family when she was a little girl. Katie is a genuine people’s person and always had a love for hospitality. A little under three years ago, she started working in hotels as a receptionist and she is now a duty manager of The Brandon Hotel in Tralee. She is the proud stepmother to a nine-year-old boy and is due to get married in two years’ time. Katie’s friends would describe her as outgoing, kind, generous and the first person they would call if they were ever in trouble.
Katie Galvin
McKenna’s of Listowel
Katie is a 24-year-old musician, with a love for animals. Her BA is in Irish Music and she studied with the team at Radio Kerry. Katie has just qualified in animal care. She plays the fiddle and sings and has performed in England with Moxie’s Darren Roche, Elle Marie O’Dwyer and Bryan Murphy. Now, she works as a dog groomer. She loves playing football with the dogs and she has her own dog named Bella. Katie’s dad passed away in 2019. In her free time, she likes watching animal programs but dislikes too much screen time. An inspirational figure she would love to meet is Sharon Shannon.
Lauren Costello
Torc Hotel, Killarney
Lauren is 21-years-of-age and is from Killorglin. She is the youngest of three children and her extended family would be known as the Chubs. Lauren’s great-grandfather was Timothy Chub O’Connor, who was a TD in the Dáil. Lauren has a great love and respect for her family. She has taken part in the Rose Festival before as a Rosebud in 2010. Lauren was paired with the Carlow Rose and says it was one of the best experiences of her life. Lauren loves volunteering and has volunteered with Hoare’s Machinery for the Ukraine. Cystic Fibrosis Ireland is a charity she holds dearly to her heart, as her aunt passed away from it and Lauren would be a carrier of the gene.
Leah Flahive
Castleview Vet Services, Listowel
Leah was born in Pennsylvania and moved to Ballylongford when she was two. She has two older brothers, a twin brother, and a younger sister. She was raised in a diverse household, her mother is American and her father is a proud Kerry man. She and two of her four siblings were adopted. She is currently a second-year general nursing student in ATU. Caring for animals was an integral part of her childhood, assisting her father in the medical treatment of animals. This exposure led her to pursue a career in nursing. She has a keen interest in working with special needs patients.
Leanne Haussman
Adapt Kerry
Leanne is a Tralee Garda with an avid interest in supporting her community and volunteering with Adapt Kerry. With a keen interest in sport, Leanne coaches under 14 Tralee Imperials basketball team and plays for St Anne’s in Farranfore. An advocate for Asthma Society of Ireland, Leanne walked 100km during Covid, raising over €2,500. This 26-year-old describes Kerry as the home she chose for herself and has established a wide circle of friends and family in the country. The festival is something she is passionate about and Leanne has attended multiple Rose events, cheering on friends and even swapped the uniform for a ballgown.
Maud Carmody
Betty McGrath’s Florist
Born in New York City, Maud’s family moved back home in 2004 to take over the family dairy farm. Maud is a 25-year-old driving instructor from lovely Listowel. She graduated from Limerick Institute of Technology in 2017 after completing her Automobile Technology course. Maud has always had a huge passion for cars and machinery. She made the transition from taking the subway in Manhattan to driving her Massey to her school graduation. She loves being outdoors hiking, kayaking and helping out on the farm in her spare time. She is currently in the process of obtaining her truck licence.
Michaela Lacey
Walsh Brothers Shoes
Michaela Lacey is from Tralee. She is a receptionist/youth worker in Shankill Family Resource Centre. She attended Kilmoyley National School and Causeway Comprehensive School and has won a gold medal in community games. Michaela has a certificate in Level 5 Social Studies and Psychology. Her hobbies include sketching, reading fantasy and true crime novels and listening to pop and country music. She has volunteered in RehabCare Blennerville for two years. Michaela has helped out in the running of different programs for example: sign language, exercise and art and she has received a National Regional Advocacy Certificate.
Niamh Murphy
Camos Bistro
Niamh is 25 and from Caherciveen. She has studied in a range of colleges such as CCOC and UCC, studying the beauty industry and English and Geography. She has set goals that will take her out of her comfort zone, one being a skydive for suicide prevention, even though she is afraid of heights. She is passionate about helping others and has volunteered for many charities like the KDYS and Women’s Aid. She was selected for Aldi’s customer service advertisements due to her great customer reviews. Niamh has a strong passion for all animals since she was small and has carried that love throughout life.
Roisin O’Sullivan
Mowlam Healthcare
A proud Treaty woman from a small village in Ballingarry, Co Limerick, Roisin is even prouder to live and work in the kingdom of Kerry. Working in Killarney Nursing Home, she absolutely adores her job and the residents have become practically family to her, especially during the pandemic. Roisin studied nursing in Glasgow Caledonian University, which Covid unfortunately interrupted. Roisin is one of six children – five girls and one boy – so trying to get to the dinner table as a child was a mission in itself. Roisin loves a good sing-song and has played camogie from the young age of five for her local team Grannagh, Ballingarry.
Samantha Stackpoole
University Hospital Kerry
Samantha is a 29-year-old nurse working in University Hospital Kerry and living in Lixnaw, a village in North Kerry. Samantha loves her job working as a Clinical Placement Co-Ordinator as her main role is supporting student nurses while on clinical placement. She holds a Masters in Nursing and spent semester two of the college year working as a part-time lecturer in Munster Technological University, Tralee. Samantha previously worked in Great Ormand Street Children’s Hospital in London. She is a member of the Lixnaw Community First Responders and the PRO for Lixnaw GAA. She loves supporting Kerry GAA, especially the Kerry hurlers as her brother, Martin is the Kerry goalkeeper. She absolutely loves fashion and spending time with her family and friends. Samantha adores her little dog, Daisy.
Treasa Ní Bhriain
Techneek
Treasa is a 20-year-old student in her second year of horticulture, which she studies at the Botanic Gardens in Dublin. In her college, she is a member of the student council. Currently she is working on an organic farm in Galway. With her interest in native flora and fauna, she would like to meet Collie Ennis, a prominent figure in Ireland’s herpetology society and fellow insect enthusiast. She loves sci-fi books, horror films and nearly any type of music. When she isn’t gardening, in her free time she enjoys baking and listening to podcasts
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