Search on for Westmeath Rose 2013
This could be the first year a Westmeath Rose becomes the Rose of Tralee and the search is now under way to find the next Westmeath Rose.Young women throughout the county are invited to live the dream by downloading an application form to enter this year's Westmeath Rose Selection.The 2013 Westmeath Rose will represent her county at the Rose of Tralee regional festival in Portlaoise and from there, she could go on to the international festival in August.Newbridge Silverware, the lead sponsor of the festival, will present the next Rose of Tralee with a range of handcrafted jewellery and homeware products. She will also receive a world travel prize worth â¬25,000 from Dublin Airport Authority, a year's driving in a new car and much more.The 2012 Rose of Tralee Nicola McEvoy said: "Anyone who enters a Rose selection will never regret the experience of a lifetime in which they will make life-long friends and have the best fun along the way. Becoming the Rose of Tralee was a huge added bonus to what can only be described as the most exciting year of my life."The festival has connected the global Irish community in Tralee since 1959 attracting millions of festival-goers, thousands of Roses, their Escorts, families and friends, entertainers, volunteers, judges and sponsors.This year, in conjunction with Fáilte Ireland, they are all invited to the Rose Gathering and to stay for an extended festival to enjoy a full programme of events to help visitors reconnect with Tralee and the many people who share the same experience.Anyone who registers to attend the Rose Gathering - email thegathering@roseoftralee.ie - before March 1 will have a chance to win free accommodation in a four-bedroom apartment in Tralee during the week of the festival.The 2013 Rose of Tralee will be crowned in the Dome on Tuesday August 20 after Dáithí Ó Sé presents two nights for the TV audience.The charismatic west Kerryman said that it's easy to think about the warmth of August in this cold weather and he's looking forward to hosting it again and seeing all the Roses return to Kerry.Entry forms and full details of how to become the Westmeath Rose are available at www.roseoftralee.ie or contact +353 66 7121322 before the deadline.