The Rose of Tralee festival is over for another year and last night saw the beautiful Philadelphia Rose Maria Walsh claim the crown. In an unusual state of affairs for the festival, the entire nation seemed to pretty much call it too, even our good selves, and we've never guessed it right.

While all the Roses were lovely ladies (and ALL had lovely bottoms), Maria Walsh was undoubtedly the loveliest of them all. As soon as she stepped on stage in that elegant, vintage number, she had the air of grace and humility that you knew judges Mary Kennedy and co would be fawning over. Intelligent, classy, sure of herself but modest at the same time, we all instantly fell in love with her.

27-year-old Walsh is originally from Boston but lived in south county Mayo as a youngster (this can only bode well for Sam this year). She studied Journalism and Visual Media in Griffith College, Dublin and graduated in 2009, before moving to Philadelphia in 2011 where she is now a Studio Manager for Anthropologie, a clothing and lifestyle brand (basically a clothes shop, but her way of describing it sounds much nicer).

As well as obviously being a smart cookie, she is also probably the first Rose ever to have short hair and tattoos, breaking the mould so she is! On top of all this, into the interview with Daithi she announced that she was also a pioneer, but still the first on the dance floor and the last one to leave. That's it, game over. We're sure the judges chat was short but sweet in the interval.

So, basically, we all want to be Maria Walsh's new bestie, and we're not alone...

And, Maria for president!


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