Four Roses with links to Cork taking part in this year's festival

The countdown is well underway to this year’s Rose of Tralee.

Nancy Lehane, from Meelin, will represent Cork at this year’s festival, which takes place from Friday, August 15 to Tuesday, August 19.

Nancy recently completed her degree in Primary Education and is working as a special education teacher in Newmarket NS.

A number of other women with links to Cork will also be taking part in the event next month.

Aisling Guilfoyle, who will be representing Luxembourg, has ties to the Rebel County, as do the Philadelphia Rose, Shannon Emery, and Queensland Rose, Siobhán Edwards.

In all, 32 women from around the world will take part in this year’s festival.

As part of the event, these women will begin their ‘Rose Tour’ around the country on August 10, visiting local communities, iconic heritage sites, and participating in a series of cultural events, highlighting the essence of what it means to be a modern Rose.

The Rose Tour has been described as "a cherished prelude" to the Rose of Tralee International Festival, where they can "forge friendships, build confidence, and represent their regions with pride on the national stage."

Four of the 32 escorts chosen to accompany the Roses at the festival hail from Cork.