Search
06 Sept 2025
Search
06 Sept 2025
Please allow ads as they help fund our trusted local news content.
Kindly add us to your ad blocker whitelist.
If you want further access to Ireland's best local journalism, consider contributing and/or subscribing to our free daily Newsletter .
Support our mission and join our community now.
To continue reading this article, you can subscribe for as little as €0.50 per week which will also give you access to all of our premium content and archived articles!
Alternatively, you can pay €0.50 per article, capped at €1 per day.
Thank you for supporting Ireland's best local journalism!
When it comes to home advantage, Kerry may have the edge this year's Rose of Tralee festival, with local Rose Laura Daly having already been singled out as one to watch for the 2025 crown.
The 23-year-old from Ballymacelligott, just outside Tralee, wears many hats: she's a teacher, a dancer and even a business owner. After graduating from Mary Immaculate College last year with a Bachelor of Arts degree, Laura has now set her sights on a Master's in Education, with the goal of becoming a secondary school teacher.
You can meet Laura and the other 31 Roses, and read all their full profile, in our gallery by using the arrows or clicking 'next'.
USE THE ARROWS OR 'NEXT' TO MEET ALL THE ROSES
Dance, however, has always been her passion. She is the founder of LD Dance, a studio she built from the ground up during her college years.
Her connection to the festival runs deep. As a child, Laura danced in the parades, and as she grew older, she volunteered behind the scenes. Now, stepping out as the Kerry Rose, she calls it a "special, full-circle moment" that means the world to her.
USE THE ARROWS OR 'NEXT' TO MEET ALL THE ROSES
Bookmakers Paddy Power have Laura priced at 9/2, placing her firmly among the frontrunners.
The betting also includes Cork Rose Nancy Lehane (4/1), UAE Rose Ceiline O'Meara (5/1), Texas Rose Sara Costa (12/1) and Dublin Rose Edel Cronin (16/1).
So, who's in the running for the coveted crown? From Armagh to Arizona, from Cork to Canada, here's your chance to meet all 32 Roses competing in this year's festival.
USE THE ARROWS OR 'NEXT' TO MEET ALL THE ROSES
READ MORE | PICTURES: Inside the most expensive house to rent in Ireland - it costs €70,000 a month
Subscribe or register today to discover more from DonegalLive.ie
Buy the e-paper of the Donegal Democrat, Donegal People's Press, Donegal Post and Inish Times here for instant access to Donegal's premier news titles.
Keep up with the latest news from Donegal with our daily newsletter featuring the most important stories of the day delivered to your inbox every evening at 5pm.
This publication supports the work of the Press Council of Ireland and Office of the Press Ombudsman, and our staff operate within the Code of Practice of the Press Council. You can obtain a copy of the Code, or contact the Council, at www.presscouncil.ie, Lo-call 1800 208 080 or email: info@presscouncil.ie.
