Westmeath Rose charms Tralee with alopecia journey and New York and Chicago Rose's Westmeath heritage revealed

Caoilfhinn Ní Choiligh won the hearts of the nation last night as she took to the Rose of Tralee Stage.

The Mullingar native gave an incredibly vulnerable insight into her experience of living with alopecia areata while stunning in a glittering gown that she rented from Mullingar's own, “The Dress Collective”.

She discussed her experience with buying a home and now, at just 26 Caoilfhinn is well into what she dubbed her, “five year plan”.

“I said need to get a house before I do any of that, and like that I felt a little bit left behind when a lot of my friends were moving on in life and moving abroad,” she explained to Katherine Thomas.

“But everyone is on different journeys, different paths at different speeds and they all look different so just stick to what you want to do.

“So I just grafted and worked really hard and we moved in in November.”

The two women then got to talking about what Caoilfhinn's experience with alopecia has been like.

“I was fifteen when I started losing it,” she explained, “It started coming out in clumps and then by the time I was 18 I had to wear a wig.

“To be honest I put it to the back of my mind a little. I didn't want people to treat me differently and I just wanted to distract myself a little bit.

“So I became a jack of all trades, master of none and threw myself into anything.

“I did theatre, youth activism, like I just wanted to be kept busy.

“Recently I hit the ten year mark of having Alopecia and I was like you know what I do have tips that could really help other people.

“It kind of led me to start my one Hair Loss community with my friend Saoirse who also has alopecia that I met online.” Through the Haven Caoilfhinn and Saoirse provide support and information to those who are experiencing any kind of hairloss, be it from alopecia, cancer or something.

From the other side of the stage a trolley was rolled out sporting some fabulous wigs on the table.

The two women walked over to it and Caoilfhinn explained that these were her wigs and she would be demonstrating the range of options people have when it comes to hairloss, or simply just those interested in wig wearing.

“I can change my hair whenever I want,” said Caoilfhinn.

“I was actually able to swap my hair during the tour.” Caoilfhinn took off the dark wig she was wearing, swapping it out for a blonde one instead.

“I could be blond whenever I wanted.

“I could throw this on, have it prestyled, I could use it as an accessory.”

She can also prestyle it which was of great interest to Katherine Thomas.

Following the demonstration Caoilfhinn decided to remain wigless and did the rest of the interview that way.

Westmeath was very well represented throughout the night. The New York Rose, Ciara McGinty revealed her family hail from the lake county. Her grandparents, Ann (née McMahon) Heffernan and the late Larry Heffernan are from Kilbeggan and her mother was born in Mullingar.

They received a shoutout on facebook from Kilbeggan Shamrocks GAA in support of Ciara's Rose journey.Westmeath was very well represented throughout the night. The New York Rose, Ciara McGinty revealed her family hail from the lake county. Her grandparents, Ann (née McMahon) Heffernan and the late Larry Heffernan are from Kilbeggan and her mother was born in Mullingar.

They received a shoutout on facebook from Kilbeggan Shamrocks GAA in support of Ciara's Rose journey.

The Chicago Rose also has a connection to Westmeath, specifically the Westmeath Examiner and beloved singer Joe Dolan.

"That would be because of my Grandad," Fiona Gaffney told Dáithí O'Shea on Monday night.

"His legacy would be in newspapers and so he would have moved around for those jobs.

"So Mullingar came when he got the position at the Westmeath Examiner.

"Oh he might have known someone named Joe Dolan," she replied when Dáithí asked about him

"So Joe Dolan worked under my grandfather and as the story goes he was showing up late, we know why, he had some gigs to perform.

"So my grandad basically said give it a go or do this and it worked out pretty well."