The summer is looking Rosy for escort Colin
It’s certainly going to be a busy summer for Kilbeggan teacher, Colin Draper.
In addition to helping out on the family farm during the busiest time of the year and preparing to move to London for a new job in September, the 24-year-old has been chosen as one of the escorts for this year’s Rose of Tralee festival.
Colin (24) was one of 200 men aged between 20 and 30 who applied to become an escort and after a detailed selection process was one of the 32 lucky lads chosen for the what festival organisers describe as the ‘best job in Ireland this summer’.
During a visit to the Westmeath Examiner offices, Colin said that he applied on the recommendation of his friend George Mooney from Doon in Offaly, who was an escort in 2012 and that after a recent weekend bootcamp in the Kingdom with his fellow escorts, he’s looking forward to the festival more than ever.
“We were brought down to Tralee. The first night we had a meeting and a meal and it was very relaxed. Then the next morning we were up at half seven, after only five or six hours’ sleep, and they brought us to Ballybunion beach where we did surfing, fishing, abseiling, we played the Munster ladies team in tag rugby - lots of events.
"Then we camped out that night. We had to make a bonfire on the beach and some lads took out guitars. It was great fun.”
The 2012 Escort of the Year, Ian Cullinane, was at the boot camp to pass on his experience to Colin and his colleagues. One of the best pieces of advice they received was to stock up on sleep before the festival.
“(He said) you are just living on supplements, adrenaline, anything you can live off for the week, because sleep is just minimal,” Colin explained.
“We have been given such strict schedules, there is no time. If you are short of socks or missing a tie, there is no time to go and get one. You just have to have it with you. The big slogan is: It’s better to be looking at it than for it. We were told to bring everything that we have basically to relocate to Kerry for the week.”
Roses will be travelling from across the world for the festival, but Colin, who received sponsorship from Kepak, the Kilbeggan Preservation and Development Association and Galvin Menswear, says that it doesn’t matter where his Rose comes from as long as “she is a bit of fun and easy to interact with”.
“We’re facilitators, we’re fulfilling a role. We are trying to make everything tick for roses as much as we can and give them the greatest chance to do their best.”