The 59th Rose of Tralee kicked off last and as usual, the best seat in the house was at home watching the action unfold on Twitter.
The competition brought its usual mix of lovely ladies from around the globe although their talents are getting more and more unusual by the year with the Roses party tricks including everything from napkin folding and blood pressure checking to cow milking and weight lifting (with Daithi as the weight).
We were introduced to 18 Roses in total last night but it was the Carlow Rose Shauna Ray Lacey that struck the biggest chord and gained a great deal of praise for openly talking about her unplanned pregnancy and her parents struggle with heroin addiction.
The Carlow Rose was such a breath of fresh air. Open, frank, funny, real. Exactly the type of woman I want to hear from. #RoseofTralee
— âÂÂÂÂÂÂ? amy o'connor âÂÂÂÂÂÂ? (@amyohconnor) August 20, 2018
Suffice to say CONGRATULATIONS @ShaunaCarlow on your interview last night. You have captured the love of a nation with your honesty, compassion & love of your family, especially your Mam & Dad.
Wonderful pictures of Emmy.
You can feel very proud. #RoseOfTralee
🌹🌹☘ï¸ÂÂÂÂÂÂ?☘ï¸ÂÂÂÂÂÂ?ðŸ'›ðŸ'›— Walter A Lacey (@Cllrwlaceyind) August 21, 2018
Loving the #Carlow Rose...a hard working relatable mother; a modern representation of Irish women and she can sing beautifully. One of the most relevant Roses in years. Break the mould. My winner. #RoseOfTralee
— Deric Ó hArtagáinTV (@deric_hartigan) August 20, 2018
Blow it up now ref. Carlow rose. Outstanding ðŸ'ÂÂÂÂÂÂ?ðŸ'ÂÂÂÂÂÂ? #Roseoftralee
— Rory's Stories (@RorysStories) August 20, 2018
Sorry, the nurses talent is CHECKING DAITHÍ’S BLOOD PRESSURE?!
Is this really a talent?? Surely this is a basic nursing skill?!#RoseOfTralee pic.twitter.com/tO8i1mfl9G
— Justine Stafford (@JustineStafford) August 20, 2018
You had one job, Dave #RoseofTralee pic.twitter.com/44UEgz4YLR
— Mallow News (@MallowNews) August 20, 2018
Lifting Daithí, that has to be a first.
Well done to the Westmeath Rose, Leanne Quinn.#RoseofTralee pic.twitter.com/8ttyLsCeAV— RTE One (@RTEOne) August 20, 2018
And now straight from the Gaelic Grounds, we have the Limerick Rose who'll be ordering a spice bag and a bottle of Lucozade for her party piece #RoseofTralee pic.twitter.com/9jDC1QQgfN
— Siobhán Doyle (@thekickart) August 20, 2018
In a surprising turn of events Daithi has renounced Christianity and will takes 8 of his favourite Roses as wives #RoseOfTralee pic.twitter.com/xRmuZfjN3x
— Jamie (@FCTwenteBenson) August 20, 2018
It's great that all these women have wonderful jobs that they love, and can sing and dance and check blood pressure, but I'd love if one of them told Daithi that she doesn't have a clue what she wants to do with her life apart from eat spice bags and wear pyjamas. #RoseofTralee
— Sweet & Meat - Jane (@sweetandmeat) August 20, 2018
"I buy make-up for Brown Thomas"
Daithi: "A dream job for any woman"
Producer In Daithi's Ear: "DAITHI, STOP" #RoseOfTralee
— Laura (@ElleEmSee) August 20, 2018
When you’re dying to get on the tele but the tiredness gets the better of you in the dome! Ahhh how we love the #RoseofTralee pic.twitter.com/4VM8hrmb2c
— Paul Downey 📻ðŸÅ½¤ (@pauldowneyradio) August 20, 2018
Rose: “Have you never put tights on before?”
Daithí: “I’ve taken them off...”
DAITHÍ YOU MADRA!#RoseOfTralee pic.twitter.com/va0MkTrpfm
— Justine Stafford (@JustineStafford) August 20, 2018
She milks cows for a living, did her Green Cert in Gurteen and wears a @dairymaster hat every day - give her the crown now!!!!! #WomenInAg #RoseOfTralee pic.twitter.com/vEYRCgN9YA
— Shane McAuliffe (@ShaneMcAuliffe1) August 20, 2018
Ok, what I’m about to say may seem controversial
We have only one teacher amongst tonight’s Roses. There I said it
Not sure what Richard Bruton intends to do about it #RoseofTralee
— Will Leahy (@willleahy) August 20, 2018
"We traveled to Florida every Summer so it was like our second home"
Everyone in Ireland: "Pure Notions" #RoseOfTralee
— Laura (@ElleEmSee) August 20, 2018
Irish hockey team getting a shout-out on #RoseOfTralee - well n’ truly mainstream now. HOPE SHE WINS. pic.twitter.com/6v8js1DW8F
— Elaine Buckley (@ElaineBucko) August 20, 2018
Ladies and Gentlemen...prime time Irish TV right here.... Lord help us...🙈#RoseofTralee pic.twitter.com/5HfYA4IzbF
— Mick O'Keeffe (@okmick) August 20, 2018
Does the winner of this automatically get a nomination for the Áras? #RoseOfTralee
— Richard Chambers (@newschambers) August 20, 2018
Catch the second and final half of the Rose of Tralee tonight on RTE One from 8pm.
