Search on for new local Irish Rose of Tralee

Taranaki Roses are being sought to enter the 56th Rose of Tralee selection with judging for the Taranaki region to take place next month.

The international Rose of Tralee competition sees 32 young women of Irish descent from around the world descend upon County Kerry, Ireland in August for the Rose of Tralee festival where the judges select a winner to be crowned the Rose of Tralee at an event broadcast to over a million viewers worldwide.

Before New Zealand's entrant for the competition is chosen, regional finals are held, and the Taranaki one starts with individual interviews with candidates on Sunday, April 19.

Louise Buhler, of the Taranaki Irish Club, and a previous winner of the Taranaki Rose of Tralee title herself, says women who want to enter must be aged between 18 and 27, have Irish ancestry and neither married nor divorced. They also should have lived in New Zealand for 12 months and be available for the selection events, including the finals in Ireland should they get through the judging.

Brooke Muggeridge, the 2014 Taranaki Rose, says she was proud to represent the Taranaki Irish community at the Rose of Tralee. Describing the event as "the perfect opportunity to celebrate and enjoy my Irish heritage in a very exciting manner", she says she felt reconnected to her family history "in a way that would have made my great grandmother, who left Ireland in 1935, very proud".

"The Rose of Tralee is a tremendous way to celebrate the talent and achievements of young Irish women in modern society. Not only did it give me the chance to develop many of my personal qualities, but it was also an enormous amount of fun and it gave me the opportunity to meet other fantastic Roses who are also passionate about their Irish heritage."

It isn't just young women being encouraged to enter however, with Rose escorts also being sought. To be eligible, escorts should be aged between 21 and 30 and unmarried.

To enter call Louise on 06 274 8494 or find Taranaki Irish Club on Facebook. More details at www.roseoftralee.co.nz