CAPTION Pictured above is Mayor Maoliosa McHugh with Dr. Jennifer Byrne, the current Rose of Tralee and Sarah Colhoun, Derry Rose, at the launch of the 2018 Derry Rose during a visit to the Guildhall. (Photo - Tom Heaney, nwpresspics)
The search is underway to find the 2018 Derry Rose and young women from all over the county are invited to apply online ahead of this year's Derry Rose Selection.
The Rose of Tralee, Dr Jennifer Byrne recently teamed up with the RTE's Rose of Tralee Presenter, Daithi O Se to launch the search for her successor who will be crowned in the Festival Dome on Tuesday, 21st August.
The 2017 Derry Rose was Irish Language teacher Sarah Colhoun from Limavady.
Dr Byrne encouraged any young women interested to follow her dream and apply for the competition.
"All I can to any young woman is to 'go for it and apply!' It has truly been the most incredible experience of my life and I hope to encourage as many young women as possible to take part and become their local Rose," she said.
"I guarantee them they will make incredible friends and have an amazing experience. I've throughly enjoyed my year as the Rose of Tralee so far and am really excited for what's to come.
"Many people think that the competition is just one week long and they don't realise that the Roses and Rose Escorts have so many incredible experiences throughout the whole year.
"I've so many more exciting times ahead and I'm really looking forward to meeting the 2018 Roses who will be selected in the coming months."
More than 4000 women from around the world enter the competition each year.
Rose of Tralee regional selections will take place from February to June all over the world.
Last year 502 people took part in qualifying selections in Ireland last year, while another 500 women entered selections in the USA, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Hong Kong, Britain, Europe and the Middle East.
The next Rose will drive away from Tralee in a brand new KIA from McElligotts Tralee, a World Travel Prize valued at €25,000 and a weeklong holiday in Kerry courtesy of Kerry County Council.
The 2018 Rose of Tralee International Festival will run from Friday 17th to Tuesday 21st August.
To enter the Derry Rose selection visit www.roseoftralee.ie.
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