Talitha with her parents, Bridget and Lino.

Talitha chosen as Sunderland's Rose of Tralee

A pharmacy student from Mullingar has been named as this year's Sunderland Rose - the second young Mullingar woman chosen for the honour in three years.Talitha Orlandi, daughter of Bridget and Lino Orlandi, is following in the shoes of Regina O'Hara, from Coralstown, whom the city chose to fly the flag for Sunderland in 2009."I'm delighted," said Talitha on Monday - the start of what is to be a busy week for her, as the regional finals take place from today, Wednesday, to Sunday in Portlaoise. To qualify to go on to Tralee, she will be vying with 53 other Roses to win one of 23 places for the Rose of Tralee finals."I'm a bit panicked!" she laughed."I have got to have a day dress and an evening dress for every day, and then for the selection, a formal dress. I'm borrowing dresses for it," she says, regretting that there isn't a sister in the family whose wardrobe she can raid, as Talitha's siblings are all male - Pepe, Micheál and Lino.Read more in this week's Westmeath Examiner