The advertisement boasts that it’s probably the best job in the world.
Now, we can give you the 32 men who made it as a Rose of Tralee Escort made up of a motley crew including Gardaí, postmen, teachers, farmers and accountants.
Along with a prize that every young single man wants – a Newbridge Silverware 44-piece silver-plated canteen engraved with his family crest and more – they will also get to chaperone a Rose – and carry every item that she should have in a handbag in his pocket.
The ad reads: ‘If you are unattached (but not afraid of commitment), a complete gentleman (but with a wicked sense of humour), well mannered (but with a touch of the devil) but above all, know how to treat a lady, or you know someone who would be perfect for the job, then this is the job for you!’
Colm Croffy, the Rose of Tralee Escort Co-ordinator, and former escort himself, said The Rose of Tralee Escorts are the 32 most envied men in Ireland every August.
And as if escorting the Roses isn’t enough, of the 32 Escorts who make the grade to reach the International Festival, one man will be chosen by the Roses as the Escort of the Year and win €1000, a weekend break in any one of the Carlton Hotels and other great prizes.
Sheep shearing and turf cutting are among the new skills that are necessary for 32 young men who have made the grade to be Rose Escorts at the Rose of Tralee International Festival from 14-18 August.
EVOKE.ie can reveal the identities of the men that made it through the rigours of the Rose of Tralee Boot Camp for Escorts last weekend.
The lads had to carry out a range tasks including cycling, horse-riding, abseiling, kayaking, ironing and sewing in order to prove they will have the stamina to be a Rose Escort.
The Rose of Tralee International Festival’s Communications Manager, John Drummey, said: ‘The Rose Escorts spent 48 hours in picturesque Kenmare, County Kerry where they learned to shear sheep, cut turf, build a dry stone wall, peel spuds and make poitín.
‘It was not because the ladies love Milk Tray but because the lads prefer Roses.
‘Nearly 200 men aged between 21 and 30 applied to become Escorts at this year’s Rose of Tralee International Festival and following a detailed interview process, the final 32 were selected to take part in a Boot Camp weekend in Kenmare to help them prepare for a busy week in Tralee.’
On Monday night 17th August, one of the 32 Escorts will be announced as the Newbridge Silverware Escort of the Year for 2015 and he will walk away with a prize including a silver-plated cutlery canteen personalised with his family crest and a cheque for €1,000.
HERE ARE THE 32 ROSE OF TRALEE ESCORTS 2015:
Nathan Barber
Project Co-ordinator from Dublin
Nathan has a degree in Event Management, and creates interactive LED art installations which he presents at festivals around the country. He is a leader in the 32nd Rathgar Scouts and has been an active member since 1994. He is involved in Viking and 16th Century historical re-enactments, has acted in many short films, and been an extra on feature films and TV series. He has sailed from Spain to Dublin as part of the Tall Ships Race, and hopes to experience the Running of the Bulls in Pamplona and the La Tomantina Festival in Spain. In 2010 he was selected as youth ambassador to represent the Irish event industry in Milwaukee.
Padraig Burbage
Trainee Aviation Underwriter from Laois
Padraig currently lives and works in London, having studied International Insurance and European studies. He enjoys swimming, running, going to the gym and playing rugby, and loves nothing more than to watch the Transformer movies back to back. He hopes to travel in the future to Peru and Alaska, and would like to learn to play the guitar. The scariest adventure he has undertaken is travelling to Australia in 2010, when his friends couldn’t make it so he went ahead on his own. With four sisters, Padraig reckons if he can survive his childhood then the festival will be a stroll in the park.
David Crean
Chartered Accountant from Kildare
David enjoys playing golf, rugby and Gaelic Football, and has also played soccer, hurling and basketball. He loves to sing, and once played the role of Danny in Grease. He owns a stake in a young racehorse, and one day hopes to own a Cheltenham winner. His goal is to become a director of a public limited company. David’s favourite book is Dessie Farrell’s Tangled Up in Blue, and favourite film is Cool Runnings.
Richard Cullen
UX Designer from Wicklow
Richard has a Bsc in Multimedia works for an Irish technology company called Cartrawler. He comes from a farming background and is handy to have around a milking parlour. He has performed with many different musical societies, and travelled to Manchester and Sweden to represent Ireland in the International Gilbert and Sullivan Opera Competition, winning gold for three consecutive years. He was nominated as one of the top three comedians in the country at the AIMS awards in Killarney for his role in a production of Footloose, and was shortlisted to be an ambassador for travel and tourism in Melbourne. Richard has a soft spot for the film Love Actually and will not eat raisins.
Mark Dowling
Environmental and Agricultural Engineer from Laois
Mark has a degree in Environmental Science and is currently working for Enva Ireland Limited. Mark took part in the Meitheal programme in his final year in secondary school. Mark enjoys playing football for his local club The Heath, and in his spare time assisting in training the underage teams. He travelled to the USA in 2013 where he played with the Chicago Wolfe Tones, the team made it to the Chicago Finals. Having played Inter County football at minor and under 21 level, Mark hopes to one day win a county title with The Heath. He also enjoys golf, farming and travelling. After completing the Tour de Picnic and Hell & Back in 2014, Mark intends to continue completing his ever growing bucket list. He believes the Festival will push him to the limits of his comfort zone, but welcomes the challenge.
Aidan Gahan
Audit Trainee from Wexford
Aidan has a degree in Accounting and Finance. Whilst working full-time he is also studying for his ACCA professional qualification. He is a member of his local GAA club, enjoys amateur dramatics, and after taking up boxing recently, now has an amateur All-Ireland medal. In the future he would like to travel to Nepal and live with monks, climb Kilimajaro, scuba dive in Australia and teach through TEFL in Asia.
Nicholas Gogarty
Accountant from Armagh
Originally from Armagh, Nicholas now lives and works in Kerry for Kerry Group, and plays football for Austin Stacks. He has a degree in Accounting and a Diploma in International Business. Having spent time living and studying in Tennessee, where he received a scholarship to study International Business, he enjoys line dancing and competes in international competitions. Winning the Munster club senior football championship with Austin Stacks was a highlight for this Armagh man. He also enjoys listening to music, playing soccer and golf, and attending rugby matches.
Neil Harrington
Advertising Executive from Dublin
Neil started college at 16, graduated at 19 and had a Master’s degree by the age of 21. He is a member of Swords rugby club, and involved with the charity HHT Ireland. He says he writes great poetry for use at weddings, birthdays and Valentines. Prior to rugby taking centre focus in his life, he won an All-Ireland medal for karate at the age of eight.
Brendan Hession
English and Geography Teacher from Galway
Brendan works in Mount St Michael Secondary school in County Mayo. He studied English and Geography at NUIG and gained a first class Masters in Education. He trains three female underage football teams, and plays tag rugby in the summer. A former member of Youth 2000, a Catholic organisation which schedules retreats across Connacht, Brendan recently joined the Pilgrimage Trust which organises visits to Lourdes for sick children. He is known to sing a few Irish ballads, and puts Michael Collins at the top his favourite film list. A Stage 3 in Toastmasters, Brendan is a keen public speaker, and hopes to explore South America next year.
Paul Hickey
Hydrotherapy Rehabilitation Unit Manager from Carlow
Paul has a degree in Business Studies and Sports Management, and is a volunteer lifesaving instructor with the Irish Water Safety Association. He has also has taken part in the annual Christmas day swim in aid of Carlow/Kilkenny Cancer Home Care for a number of years. He is the assistant groundskeeper at Bagenalstown FC, volunteers at his local swimming club and has recently become a qualified Dive Master. He plans to return to college to study Physiotherapy, and enjoys rock climbing, swimming, kayaking and cycling. He has travelled extensively across Alaska, Hawaii, Florida, Greece and Australia.
John Higgins
Quantity Surveyor from Cavan
John is completing an MSc in Applied Construction Cost Management at DIT and also has a BSc in Construction Management and Economics. He is a member of triathlon, football and cycling clubs. He enjoys reading sports biographies, and places Roy Keane and Brian O’Driscoll’s among his favourites. His dedication to his GAA club saw him enter a Strictly Come Dancing Competition, which he won. He is a big Father Ted fan, and regularly attends the festival in the Aran Islands. Having travelled through South East Asia, he hopes to work abroad in the future.
Frank Holohan
Marketing – Consumer Insights and Strategy from Clare
Frank has Commerce degree, and a Masters in Marketing from UCD Smurfit, and now works for The Loop at Dublin and Cork airport. He can play the bass guitar and the drums, and was a member of a number of bands. An avid sports fan, he puts seeing the Ireland soccer team play at a FIFA tournament at the top of his bucket list. His favourite book is the biography of Red Hot Chilli Pepper’s Anthony Kiedis, Scar Tissue, a book he describes as both interesting and inspirational.
Darren Hughes
Garda from Dublin
In addition to his duties with An Garda Siochána, Darren enjoys triathlons, giving swimming lessons, scuba diving, skiing and hiking. In past year, Darren has recovered from a broken back and shoulder following a bad ski crash, and has returned to competing in triathlons. He was awarded the Chief Scout’s medal as a teenager, the highest award attainable in the Scouts.
Shane Kenny
Junior Architect from Kerry
A native of The Spa, Tralee, Shane plays football for his local club Churchill GAA, and writes for popular sports website Pundit Arena occasionally. He is a member of the Pioneer Total Abstinence Association, and has performed at Siamsa Tíre theatre in a number of different pantomime roles and sketches recently. He has completed the Ring of Kerry Cycle and two Toughathons, raising funds for the Irish Cancer Society in the process. A quiz buff, he has competed at All-Ireland level with his parish team. He aspires to undertake his Masters in Architecture in the coming year. While enjoying dancing, some people would say his moves are questionable at best.
Keith Lally
Postman from Dublin
Keith loves his hobbies of amateur dramatics, soccer (he helped set up Grange United FC in 2011), and teaching himself to play the guitar. He took part in a Strictly Come Dancing fundraiser which raised €37,000 euro for the oncology ward at Beaumont Hospital. Running the Grange United takes up much of his spare time, both fundraising and playing.
John Marren
Facilities Manager, Intel from Mayo
John plays soccer and football for his local team in Charlestown, and is also part of the Intel charity team which organises fundraising events such as 5k runs, cycles, bake sales and fun days. John’s love of cycling has allowed him to see some beautiful countryside around Ireland, and in 2015 he took part in the Malin to Mizen cycle to raise awareness of suicide. He hopes to travel in the future and puts Australia, New Zealand and South America as his top priority. He enjoys watching action packed movies like Fighter and Warrior.
Ross Mc Auley
Teacher from Dublin
Ross is captain of Skerries Rugby Club, has been voted Leinster Club Player of the Year, and has represented the province at youth level. He is a ‘buddy’ in the IRFU/Pieta House project, and has an Arts degree from UCD. He can sing and play the tin whistle, and takes up a little GAA in the off-season to keep match fit. He is a strong Irish speaker, and is due to qualify soon as a primary school teacher. His favourite book is The Hobbit. Coming from a family of all girls, Ross reckons he is likely to cope well with the Festival.
Brian Mc Carthy
Auctioneer from Cork
Based in Dublin, Brian has lived and worked in Australia, is a member of Perth Shamrocks Hurling Club and a member of the Irish in Perth golf society. During his time in the southern hemisphere, he developed a love of outdoors, but the honour of winning a county title with his hometown GAA club is still an honour which eludes him. A fan of sporting biographies, Brian’s favourite is Paul McGrath’s. He spearheaded a charity fundraising campaign in 2012 for a women’s cancer charity in Cork, hosting an auction which raised nearly €10,000.
Thomas McCormack
Self Employed Marketing Executive from Mayo
Thomas loves exploring new places and meeting and interacting with new people. He has a degree in English and Humanities, enjoys playing soccer and GAA, and has an All-Ireland medal for volleyball from playing with his secondary school, St.Louis of Kiltimagh. He was Student Union President of St. Pat’s whilst in college and was also elected ENT’s Officer on two occasions. He puts his calm nerve and leadership qualities down to being the eldest of eight children.
Paul Mc Donagh
Veterinary Officer from Fermanagh
Paul works as an Animal Health and Welfare Inspector for the department of Agriculture but also runs his own business Leam Agri and Timber products. He has a degree in Agricultural Technology. He is also involved with his local Farmers Group in Tempo county Fermanagh. His love of carpentry led him to start his own business, and is looking at projects related to renewable energy, and has a 225kW wind turbine. In the future he hopes to grow the business and complete a motorbike run across Europe. He believes Rocky I is the best in the boxset and that Saving Private Ryan will forever be a classic.
Ciaran McKinley
Associate Buyer from Antrim
Ciaran studied Civil Engineering at Queens University Belfast, where he received a distinction in Project Management. He owes a great deal to the Festival as it is the place where his parents met. He received an All-Ireland medal when his team, Loughiel Shamrocks, won the senior club hurling championship in 2012. He established a John Paul II initiative in his village, an organisation which rewards young people for taking an active role in their community, and has taken the disabled and elderly on pilgrimages to Lourdes. He also enjoys reading, skiing and horse riding.
Feargal McNally
Construction Worker from Monaghan
Fergal plays football with his local club Clontibret O’Neil’s, and has a huge interest in farming. He fundraises for Down Syndrome Ireland, and completed his first Hell and Back 10km run in February. He has a keen interest in motorsport and loves nothing more than jiving to country music the odd Friday night in the Glencarn hotel. Feargal’s sister is 2006 Monaghan Rose Sarah McNally, and the buzz he experienced at her Rose Selection Night, and the high regard in which she holds the festival, are the main reasons behind why he applied to be a Rose Escort.
Niall Mooney
Biology Student from Monaghan
Niall is in his final year in NUI Maynooth and also works in Martin Donaghy TW Menswear. He is actively involved in his local GAA club and Macra na Feirme. His family play a huge part in his life, with many Sunday afternoons spent listening to tales from his grandparents. He occasionally plays the guitar and accompanies his sister at weddings and other functions. Having spent the summer of 2013 in the USA, Niall would like to travel explore more of Ireland before venturing further. Shawshank Redemption makes it to the top of his movie list.
Cathal Nolan
Student and part time PA from Offaly
Cathal has an Arts degree and is now studying for an MSc in Climate Change. He is a qualified drum teacher, a member of his local hurling and football team, and also enjoys skiing and mountain climbing. His favourite movie is Forrest Gump. For the past two years, Cathal has worked as chief weather correspondent for Midlands 103 radio station, and hopes to one day present the weather on national television.
Eoin O’Mahony
Accountant from Galway
Eoin studied Business and Commerce in NUI Galway, plays rugby with Galwegians Rugby Club and also enjoys the occasional round of golf. A Salthill Knocknacarra club man he has also played intercounty football with Galway at minor and U21 level, winning an All-Ireland medal at minor in 2007. He places Michael O’Leary’s autobiography in high regard, and believes O’Leary has revolutionized world travel. His favourite films are Forrest Gump and Shawshank Redemption. After travelling extensively in Europe and America, he now has his sights set on Asia and Australia.
John Richardson
Accountant from Kildare
In his final year of accountancy exams, John also has the role of social officer at the accountancy practice where he works, organising everything from nights out to 5 a side soccer. He can do a good Riverdance impression, and enjoys playing golf and tag rugby. He is a fan of both the Harry Potter series and the new Batman films. He was elected the Clubs and Societies Officer in 2007 for Tallaght IT whom he represented at two national congresses. He believes the experience he gained working as part of the Students’ Union was invaluable.
Felix Ross
Glenstal Housemaster from Tipperary
Felix plays rugby with Limerick Club, St Mary’s. He has a degree in Sports Science and in addition to working at Glenstal Abbey School, also coaches their Senior Cup rugby team. Last year, he and a group from the school cycled around Ireland, raising €26,000 for Crumlin Children’s Hospital, and he has plans to volunteer in Africa in the future. His favourite film is Layer Cake and his favourite book is Game of Thrones.
Conall Scott
Quantity Surveyor from Antrim
Conall graduated from University of Ulster in 2014 where he studied Quantity Surveying. He currently works throughout the UK and Ireland. Conall is involved with his local GAA club Saint Enda’s Glengormley where he is a member of their senior football team and also helps train their underage teams. Having travelled extensively in Europe and the USA, he hopes to travel and work in the Middle East or Australia at some stage. Conall also enjoys golf, basketball and concerts. He has previously taken part in a number of drama productions.
Conor Sheridan
Student of Business and Management from Offaly
Conor has recently returned to education, to study business and management at NUI Maynooth. After school, he took over the family equestrian business and is heavily involved with show jumping in Ireland. He enjoys going to the cinema and the gym, and is a huge fan of the Lord of the Rings trilogy. He hopes one day to set up his own company that would renovate and lease out dilapidated buildings, and to build up a show jumping stud. In 2013 he organised a fundraising drive for Cancer Research, and raised €10,000. After his own recovery from cancer, he has vowed to try as many new experiences as possible, with Rose Escort being one of his first objectives, and in 2014 volunteered in the Philippines after the typhoon disaster.
Andrew Toye
Shop Assistant in Topman from Fermanagh
Andrew is studying for a Masters in Event Management, and has an Honours degree in Liberal Arts. He is a committee member of Clogher don Oige, a Catholic Youth Ministry Organisation where he promotes and organises pilgrimages across the world. Andrew has performed the Cha-Cha and Jazz Swing at charity events, and taken part in various theatre productions both on and off stage. He loves to read, and has just finished Catcher in the Rye. He spent a year in Cyprus as an Erasmus student, and hopes to continue travelling, specifically to see the Northern Lights and Disneyland.
Conor Walsh
ESB Linesman from Limerick
Conor is 2014 Newbridge Silverware Escort of the Year. Coming from a farming background, he was previously involved with the organising of the Cappamore Agricutural Show. He has a huge passion for tag rugby and is part of a successful team which retained their title at the Kinsale 7’s this year. Conor has seen both his dancing skills and his love of wearing a tuxedo improve drastically over the last couple of years.
Patrick Whelan
Mechanical Design Engineer from Clare
Patrick has a bachelor of Technology in Materials and Construction Technology, and a Masters in Technology in Computer Aided Design. His hobbies include Pilates, cooking, free hand sketching and learning to play the keyboard. His favourite film is Love Actually, and he lists Seven Deadly Sins: My Pursuit of Lance Armstrong as one of his favourite books. He hopes to one day start his own engineering business.
The 2015 Rose of Tralee International Festival will take place in Tralee from 14-18 August, where Dáithí Ó Sé will be putting these lads through their paces.
Full details of the International Roses, Escorts and Festival events are available from www.roseoftralee.ie, Facebook and Twitter @roseoftralee_
The post Here’s the 32 men who made it as a Rose of Tralee Escort this year appeared first on EVOKE.ie.