Rose of Tralee contestant: ‘How empowering can something be if you’re not being paid for your work and time?’

Entering the Rose of Tralee competition seems like a rite of passage for every Irish woman who never got detention in school. On a Sunday evening in the middle of last January, I sent off my application to enter the Dublin Rose competition and paid my registration fee, not thinking much more of it.

Bidding to become the Rose of Tralee can be a demanding and costly process, as one former contestant found out Eleanor O'Dwyer found her Rose of Tralee journey to be bittersweet. Photo: Frank McGrath Entering the Rose of Tralee competition seems like a rite of passage for every Irish woman who never got detention in school. On a Sunday evening in the middle of last January, I sent off my application to enter the Dublin Rose competition and paid my registration fee, not thinking much more of it.

I was 26 years old and it seemed like the majority of my friends were reaching those pivotal points: getting engaged, putting down deposits or leaving for Australia or Canada. Join the Irish Independent WhatsApp channel Stay up to date with all the latest news.