SUNDAY AUGUST 14, 2011
Checked into the Carlton Dublin Airport Hotel.
Rose of Tralee International Festival welcome and briefing.
It was soooo lovely to see all the girls again. It was as if I had never left Ireland despite the fact that it had been months since the Regional Finals came to a close. At the reception there were hugs and stories to go around for hours and also a few new faces (some of the centres are grandfathered into the final and so did not meet all the rest of us in Portlaoise). We had a quick briefing on the events to follow and how to deal with the extensive media coverage...butterflies in my tummy I couldn't wait to launch the weekend!
MONDAY AUGUST 15, 2011
RTE informal interviews & research - we met with RTE TV production crew
Styling evening at Newbridge Silverware Showrooms.
Some of the girls got to meet with Daithi in the morning to prepare for the onstage interview while myself and some of the other girls headed off to the Crumlin's children's hospital at 9:45AM. I was very excited to get the opportunity to brighten the day for a few of the children who had been in the hospital for months. They were so excited to perform for us and get our autographs and were thrilled to tell us that they had plans to watch the show from their hospital beds and stay up late to see who was crowned the International Rose of Tralee. It was truly heartwarming. Some of the other girls went to Croke Park and Zip Yard (one of our sponsors). I met with Daithi in the afternoon at 2:15 and RTE at 3:30. I couldn't believe the musical ability of the producers of the show...he had my piece of music written out by the time I was done playing it!!! Incredible. They really liked my selection but, wanted to have me back once I had the harp that I was gong to be playing the night of the selection. We had had a huge lunch at the Bistro Airport hotel so we just had a quiet snack dinner in our rooms before getting ready to depart for the Newbridge Silverware evening event. We brought a photo of our selection dress and were fitted for our jewellery for the selection nights....amazing! I felt like a real VIP. The girls and I spent much of our extra travel money at Newbridge...how could you not?! Everything sparkles...
TUESDAY AUGUST 16, 2011
Events around Dublin and media calls
RTE Photo call - Red Dresses
We spent the morning at RTE doing a huge photoshoot and meeting with the local media for interviews. The afternoon was filled with sight seeing - the national museum of ireland, leinster house, guinness store house. In the evening we were treated to a gala dinner at the Carlton Dublin Airport Hotel Blanchardstown followed by a champagne reception.
WEDNESDAY AUGUST 17, 2011
Depart Dublin for Rose Tour and media/sponsor receptions
Dinner and entertainment in Ballinasloe
We departed Dublin for Athy
In Athy, we were created by Clare Kambamettu *2011 International Rose of Tralee and shared an Irish Coffee with the girls.
We left Athy for Bir. Bir was great fun. We learned about Camogie from the best - the All-Ireland Champions :) Such great girls. We shared lunch before heading off the Dartfield, laugher, Galway.
Unfortunately, the road to Galway was VERY bumpy and by the time we arrived at the Horse Museum and Heritage Centre I was car sick :s I felt horrible...like I had let the girls down as I was not able to disembark right away...I needed a moment to pull myself together and get my stomach settled before I had cameras in my face again.
Luckily, this was one of the most amazing stops on the tour. Great Irish wolf hounds made there home on the farm there...and with my love of dogs I couldn't resist saying hello despite the fact that I was on a farm and dressed for a garden party. I went over the the fence and within seconds I had a HUGE paw around my shoulders...well over the fence...The girls and I laughing so hard we were almost in tears the cameras were suddenly on me and the pups. I saw the picture the following day in the paper and it was truly a great moment captured -"Ottawa Rose Finds Puppy Love in Galway"
We met Shannon at the Centre - she is terminally ill and she had submitted a wish to the "share a dream" foundation and her wish was to spend a day with the Roses. Unbelievable young women...we had a blast with her taking funny pictures and invited her to our gala dinner later that night. We had a little sing-song in the courtyard of the museum...a great day overall - and still not over!
We were collected at the Museum by a parade of Vintage Cars that drove us to the Carlton Shearwater Hotel and Spa. It was a great slow drive across the countryside. We had a gala reception and photo opp before dinner. Erin (my roommate) and I RAN upstairs after collecting our luggage and made the mad dash to change for dinner - an International buffet and 'Evening at the Arts.' I was in GREAT company all evening...my table was fabulous! There was an open mike for the roses and I can't recall now if I got up onstage but, either way it was a night of indulgence.
THURSDAY AUGUST 18, 2011
Various activities and photo calls throughout the day
Dinner and entertainment in Limerick
A morning at the SPA!!! We really needed this! I had a 30 minutes massage followed by an hour of relaxation while being served water and listening to calming music. It gave the girls and myself a moment to breathe.
We had a quick lunch before heading off to the Cliffs of Moher for a tour
I had been to the cliffs before but, it was so nice to take in the view with girls I am now so proud to call family. We had a great lunch in the new building built into the cliffs and it was a fantastic view.
We then headed off to the Carlton Castletroy Hotel - photo-shoot, pre-dinner drink reception, fashion show!! All the girls interested in taking part in the fashion show put their names in a hat and I was selected...I can't tell you how much fun I had and the clothes were A-MAZING. I wore a "little black dress" by Chanel and a FAB outfit - jeans, a great blouse, cute cute nude shoes and cashmere camel coloured jacket and turquoise jewellery...I was tempted to walk right off the end of the runway and onto the bus "START THE CAR" - I'm a bit of a fashion addict.
That night was a private sing-song were we spent the night with the boys. They are such a talented group and we had SUCH a blast together...the girls all agreed it was great to get some testosterone in the mix! We were set to retire by 12:00AM...riiiiiiight
FRIDAY AUGUST 19, 2011
Rose tour makes its way back to Tralee
Arrive in Tralee - rehearsal for International Rose Ball and meet the escorts
International Rose Ball - Festival Dome, Carlton Hotel Tralee
We departed for Killarney! We made a stop in Newcastle West at Zipyard (one of our sponsors) and I was pulled aside for a photo pop in one of the local pubs were I pulled a pint...it was only 10:00AM but, when in Rome...
We arrived in Muckross House & Gardens, Killarney at 11:15AM and were treated to beautiful light lunch.
We departed for Tralee - early afternoon. Upon arrival my eyes flooded with tears as I saw everyone's families blocking the doors to the hotel. There were hundreds!!! I searched the crowd and found my mom's tiny face trying to squeeze through the crowd...she's barely 5'1''!! The boys disembarked and formed two lines on either side of the stairs so that we couldn't get through. I quickly noticed lots of little girls pulling at my dress for autographs and my parents eyes had never been bigger. At this point in the tour I was used to the idea but, this was the first time that they has seen their daughter signing autographs!! I had, in a matter of days, aquired celebrity status...and I cannot tell you how strange that was. My Rosebud found me and we spoke briefly, I hardly got to speak with my parents before I was wisked away by my escort Paddy Kennedy to prepare for a photoshoot with our rosebuds in the Cypress Suite.
We then rehearsed for the Rose Ball in the Dome before having dinner and preparing for the night. Its a good thing I'm familiar with the waltz because Paddy really struggled hahaha luckily he was a pile of fun and didn't take things too seriously so we laughed our way through it.
SATURDAY AUGUST 20, 2011
Judging commences
Festival Events around Tralee
International Parade and various entertainment
RTE met with all the girls for interviews and we went to the county library before attending our respective signings. All the Canadian roses went to a certain location and children and adults alike came from all across Ireland to gather Roses autographs and in a few cases phone numbers... It was really something else. I attended a reception on a Naval Ship in Fenit...such a beautiful place! The sailors were more than pleased to have a visit from the Roses...although pre-occupied with the results of the football game HA
We headed back to the hotel for a buffet dinner before getting ready for the parade.
The parade was unlike anything I had ever seen and even the youtube videos don't do it justice. The sheer number of people that were there to see US?! All the way through the streets with the escorts walking alongside our floats they were handing up booklets that children had passed up to them for autographs. By the end of the parade Paddy was signing them too and saying "thank you so much for coming to see me! It's my honour...REALLY" the crowd loved him...such a ham haha
SUNDAY AUGUST 21, 2011
Church Services
Judging Continues
Family Parade
Dinner & Entertainment
I attending open air mass with many of the other roses in the morning. I myself am not religious but, it provided us with a moment of unity and reflection...again, a moment to breath and be thankful for this wonderful opportunity.
We headed off right away to the Greyhound Stadium for a luncheon before yet another parade featuring US...During lunch we found out what night we would be going on TV for our interviews with Daithi...It was sooooo nerve racking. I found out that I was to be second on - the first night! AHHHHHH, breath, AHHHHH, ahfoishfwlekfnlksdnfs, WAHT? ....okay I can do this. I thought to myself, they must have picked me to go on second for some reason...they must have believed I could do it...the only thing left to do was to convince myself they were right!
We spent the rest of the late afternoon preparing for the fashion show which we attended in the dome. We had to coordinate our entrance walk on the stage - not the easiest thing for that many non-models!
MONDAY AUGUST 22, 2011
Judging continues
TV rehearsals and preparations
TV Show
Because it was my selection night I had a "relatively" quiet day. I attending the civic reception at the town council offices, rehearsed in the dome with Daithi, went to my pub (we are twinned with local pubs) and got to share a pint with my dad and then got my hair and makeup done for the evening. My curls were so tight that I had Erin pull them out and even took a short nap in a desperate attempt to flatten them out...oh to be a rose haha.
I pulled off my interview with no great disasters and felt okay about my performance given the circumstances.
I was pleased to be created with a class of wine after heading backstage again...
In the end, going second was fabulous as I got to enjoy the rest of the evening and the girls interviews as well as the following day without worrying about what was to come.
TUESDAY AUGUST 23, 2011
TV rehearsals and preparations
Judging Continues
TV show - 2011 International Rose of Tralee announced
The girls had more RTE rehearsals in the morning while I visited the Rehab Centre Blennerville Cuil Didin. The men and women there were amazing. Adults with mental disabilities that didn't allow them to live at home any longer. They had prepared a sing-song for us, art and music. We were thrilled. We decided to perform for them as well...we had after all been rehearsing all week during our travels on the tour bus...we came prepared. I met a man that loved to paint boats - his signature was the he always hid a fish somewhere in the piece...he walked me through the halls covered in his artwork and in every piece he made me search for his little hidden fish - genius!
Lunch - Ballygarry Hotel
We then headed back to the hotel so all the girls could get ready for the evening...Selection night 2 was very enjoyable as I got to sit back and enjoy the show. I took tones of pictures of the girls onstage as I knew they would want them. It was really something else to see the amazing-ness of the show from the audiences perspective.
After Tara was selected we headed out for the parade - Midnight Madness indeed!
Then, back to the hotel for a quick pizza snack at 1:00AM followed by a party...in fine Irish style. Later in the evening we retired as roses and re-emerged from the hotel as our "regular" selves and headed out to the boys pub of choice to play our the rest of the night.
We retired long after the sun had come up...that's all I can say ;) It was a great
WEDNESDAY AUGUST 24, 2011
Breakfast and check out
Separate schedule for 2011 Rose of Tralee
Before we could close our eyes for more 15 minutes we were up again to pull together the disaster that was now our hotel room. I remember sitting on Erin's bed looking at the state of our room and thinking...oh myyyyyyy my my - where's my escort? Erin got us both a glass of water, I got the advil, we tackled the disaster one dress at a time...
Exhausted we piled back into the bus one last time and headed to Ballygarry House Hotel where we had an AMAZING lunch before heading off to the airport. Saying goodbye to the girls was hard but, we all knew that it wouldn't be long before we would meet again - we were family after all.
I slept ALL the way home.
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