Westmeath Rose Caoilfhinn Ní Choiligh won this year’s Rose of Tralee festival after triumphing over 31 fellow Roses over the two-night event in Kerry. All photos: Dominick Walsh
Westmeath Rose Caoilfhinn Ní Choiligh has said she is still “on cloud nine” after being crowned the 2026 Rose of Tralee, describing herself as “so grateful and proud” to have had the experience.
The 25-year-old, who works in retail and is studying to become a wig maker, won over the audience and judges on Monday night when she opened up about living with alopecia.
Reflecting on the whirlwind of emotions since her win, Caoilfhinn told Morning Ireland on RTÉ Radio 1 on Wednesday: “I think I am on cloud nine a little bit floating through the emotions but I’m just so grateful and proud.”
But while becoming the Rose of Tralee may have been the culmination of the competition, Caoilfhinn said winning was never her main motivation for taking part.
“No. As much as that’s what this is all accumilating towards, I joined this whole experience to make friends. I honestly wanted to build my support network because that’s what gives me my strength, and being in my mid-twenties it can be so hard to do that.”
For Caoilfhinn, the appeal of the competition was the opportunity to meet other women and build lasting friendships. She said she had always admired the Roses and saw the experience as a chance to form a new support network.
“I was like, ‘Do you know what? The Rose of Tralee is something I’ve always admired. They are amazing women. Wouldn’t it be so cool to have 31 amazing new sisters and friends out of this experience?’ And that’s what I’ve really been enjoying out of it all.
“Obviously, this is a great plus too, but I’m absolutely delighted to be part of the 2026 class of Roses,” she added.
Opening up about removing her wig live on stage on Monday night, Caoilfhinn said being open about wearing a wig has always been important to her.
She explained that she has never felt the need to hide it and has often used everyday interactions as an opportunity to challenge people’s perceptions of wigs.
“It was something I was always very vocal about,” she said. “I never hid it and always told people I had it. If someone complimented my hair, I told them it was a wig, often to their surprise, because I wanted to show people that wigs are so much better than what they think and what they used to be, and how it’s okay to talk about it the way people talk about extensions, or they go to get their hair done.
“I wanted the same experience for people going through hair loss and for them to be able to talk about their wigs in that way and not feel like they had to hide.”
Caoilfhinn showcased her wigs live on TV on Monday night. Photo: Dominick Walsh
However, Caoilfhinn admitted that she had some reservations about how her experience with alopecia would be portrayed during the Rose of Tralee. She said she did not want her identity as a Rose to be overshadowed by her hair loss, while also recognising how much the experience had shaped her.
“So when it came to doing my piece, I was a bit apprehensive about being the Rose with the wigs. I didn’t want to be reduced down to that, but at the same time, I just wanted to own it because it is something that has really shaped who I am.”
She said that, more recently, she had come to recognise the power of embracing the things that make people different.
Caoilfhinn Ní Choiligh on stage with co-host Kathryn Thomas on Monday night in Tralee. Photo: Dominick Walsh
“I think it just got to a point recently where I kind of just realised that there’s such power in showcasing what makes us different, and we don’t really think about putting ourselves on a platform because we think we’ve nothing to say.
“But I honestly have been so surprised by how much I’ve impacted other people by just sharing the small little tips and tricks that I have when it comes to wearing a wig and embracing it.”
That realisation helped shape what she wanted to do on stage. Caoilfhinn said she wanted her appearance to offer encouragement to someone at the beginning of their own hair loss journey, and to show them that they could feel confident doing the same.
“So when it came to this experience, I was like, ‘Do you know what? Wouldn’t it be so cool to do something that, if I was younger, at the start of my hair loss journey, I would be like, ‘Oh my God, if she can do it, I can do it!’?”
Despite how open she has been about wearing a wig, Caoilfhinn said removing it in front of other people is something she rarely does.
“I don’t take my wig off day to day in front of people. I’ve only done it a handful of times. It’s only been in the last nine months my very close friends have only recently seen me without a wig on, so to do it on national television was definitely surreal.”
This year’s festival brought together 32 International Roses from communities across Ireland and around the world. Over five days, they enjoyed the hospitality of Tralee, along with street parades, music, and entertainment as part of the Féile Trá Lí celebrations.
With a new class of hopefuls ready to embark on their Rose of Tralee adventure, current Rose Katelyn Cummins has some advice for the 2026 winner.
Aug 17, 2026
Rose of Tralee 2025, Katelyn Cummins.
The Laois woman nabbed the title in 2025 and has had a whirlwind journey over the past 12 months, including a stint on “Dancing With The Stars”, which saw her lift the Glitterball trophy alongside partner Leonardo Lini.
Other highlights from her time in the spotlight include her charity work, but with a new winner on the horizon, Katelyn has some sage advice for the next Rose.
She told EVOKE that she carried out an incredible 257 engagements over the past 12 months but urges the 2026 Rose to follow their own path and not put themselves under pressure to say yes to everything.
The most important advice she can give is to pass on what the 2024 winner, Keely O’Grady from New Zealand, said to her, and that’s to make the role their own.
Speaking at the launch of the RTÉ Concert Orchestra Autumn/Winter schedule at the National Concert Hall, she said: ‘I think I will reciprocate what last year’s Rose of Tralee said to me: “Make the year your own and do whatever you can.
“You don’t have to say yes to absolutely everything, you don’t have to say no to absolutely everything, you can make the role your own, and you can do whatever you desire to do yourself.
“I think because of the opportunities I was given, I was able to say yes to so many, and that is what I set out to do from the moment I got selected.”
As for Katelyn, she admits that she’s feeling very emotional over the prospect of passing on her crown.
“I’m feeling very sentimental, and it’s very bittersweet. I’m really, really looking forward to seeing who the next girl will be and what she’s going to do with the opportunity and what she’s going to be faced with after winning.
“It’s definitely very emotional at this time of the year… I’ve met a lot of the girls, and the girls this year are incredible; there’s an amazing bunch of them.
“They are very supportive, very enthusiastic, so I’m excited to see them but definitely emotional about the whole thing coming to an end and not knowing what life is going to look like the week after.”
August marks the 110th anniversary since his death.
Roger Casement was executed in 1916
By Kirsty King
August 16, 2026 at 4:35pm BST
A group advocating for the remains of Roger Casement to be moved to Co Antrim has said a bloodline relative of the Easter Rising organiser has thrown his “full weight” behind the campaign.
Casement was executed on August 3, 1916 in London’s Pentonville Prison, after being found guilty of treason for his role in planning the rising.
One of the Co Dublin-born rebel’s last wishes, outlined in a letter to his cousin Elizabeth Bannister days before he was hanged, was to be buried at Murlough Bay on the north coast of Co Antrim, where he spent part of his childhood following the death of his father.
The diplomat and human rights pioneer wrote that the area, with its “great panorama of island and hill and swirling waters” was what “made me realise what Ireland was to me”.
Each August, to mark the anniversary of his death, the Roger Casement Commemoration and Re-Interment Association holds various commemorations around Ireland and England, including at Pentonville Prison, and Dublin’s Glasnevin Cemetery, where his remains were eventually laid to rest after being repatriated in 1965.
Formed in Andersonstown, west Belfast in 2013, the association has two objectives – to commemorate the life of Casement and to fulfil his request to be laid to rest at Murlough Bay.
Alan Daly, chairperson of the association said the ongoing campaign is making “baby steps” and gaining support, including from one of Casement’s own relatives.
“James Casement, a bloodline relative of Roger, who lives in Arizona, is the latest member to categorically put his full weight behind the campaign,” he said.
“Through the committee we made contact with him and he replied in October of last year. I had a conversation with him and he was delighted with who we are and what we are doing.”
Mr Daly said the campaign has the support of Phoenix Law and O’Neill’s Funeral Directors, who “approached us and wanted to come on board”.
He added: “It’s past time that Casement is allowed to rest easy at his request in Murlough Bay.
“The political climate has changed. There’s no reason why it shouldn’t happen, in our opinion.”
A wreath-laying ceremony to mark the 110th anniversary of Casement’s death will be held on Thursday, August 20 at Casement Social Club in Andersonstown.
Another commemoration event will take place at Murlough Bay on Saturday, August 22.
Clockwise from Top Left: San Francisco Rose Sarah Johnston, New York Rose Ciara McGinty, Texas Rose Ally Padgett, Chicago Rose Fiona Gaffney, Carolina Rose Grace O’Halloran. Rose of Tralee
The 2026 Rose of Tralee gets underway in Co Kerry from Friday, August 14, but the highlight of the annual international festival is the live, televised interviews that culminate on Tuesday with the selection of this year’s Rose.
32 women from Ireland and further afield – all of whom were born in Ireland, are Irish citizens, or have Irish ancestors – are vying to win the title this year.
Among this year’s three dozen Roses are five Irish Americans. The last time an American won the Rose of Tralee was in 2023 when New York Rose Roisin Wiley took the crown. Can another American do it this year?
Read on to meet the five Irish Americans competing to be the 2026 Rose of Tralee.
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Carolina – Grace O’Halloran
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2026 Carolina Rose Grace O’Halloran.
My name is Grace, and I’m 28 years old. I grew up in Connecticut, though I’ve called North Carolina home for nearly a decade. I attended Wake Forest University to study English and Entrepreneurship, with some specialized courses in Irish Literature. I’ve recently joined an advertising technology startup after beginning my career at an ad agency, focused on international markets. I love to travel, spend time with family and friends, cheer on college football, and try new recipes. This fall, I took my first solo trip, where I attended a weeklong cooking course on a farm in Italy. I’m delighted to represent the Carolinas in Tralee. This experience is a tribute to the legacy of my wonderful Dad and grandparents (from Dublin and Mayo). They’d think it’s absolutely great craic and are surely smiling from above. My love of my Irish heritage is inextricably tied to my love for them. Their influence on my life is without a doubt the reason I applied for the Rose of Tralee. A fun fact – my aunt was the Toronto Rose in 1979!
Chicago – Fiona Gaffney
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2026 Chicago Rose Fiona Gaffney.
Dia duit! Is mise Fiona. I am 26 years old and a proud first-generation Irish American from Chicago. My Irish connection is through my mom, born in Westmeath and raised in Waterford. My grandparents hail from Wexford. I have Galway and Leitrim heritage through my dad. I earned my bachelor’s in biophysics and microbiology from Michigan (Go Blue!). My career is in food safety. I recently graduated with my master’s in public health stemming from my passion for science accessibility and women’s health advocacy. The Chicago Irish community is my second family. I serve on the executive committee of Ireland Network Chicago and am Vice President of Cultural Affairs for the Young Irish Fellowship Club of Chicago. I have studied Irish with Na Gaeil Chicago for three years and attended Oideas Gael under a 2025 Summer Gaeltacht Award. I’m a lifelong swimmer which led to playing water polo. I ran the 2024 Dublin Marathon for DePaul Ireland and will run the 2026 Chicago Marathon. I am incredibly honored to represent Chicago and excited for this journey with my fellow Roses.
Hello! My name is Ciara and I am 25 years old. My mom, Elaine, is from Leixlip, Kildare and my dad, Rob, is from New York, with both of his parents being from Ireland. Together with my sister Ava and my brother Rory, we were fortunate to travel to Ireland every summer for 6 weeks, which allowed us to build the strong relationships with our family and friends in Ireland we have today. I am a first grade teacher in the Bronx. I live in Woodlawn, where there is a strong Irish community. I am the Vice President of the Kildare Association of New York and a delegate for the United Irish Counties Association of New York. I love spending time with my family and friends and have a love for travel! In 2022, I travelled around Europe with my cousin, Shannon, and some friends. Recently, I travelled to the Dominican Republic with my boyfriend, Shane. It’s been a privilege to be selected as the 2026 New York Rose, and I am so excited for all that is to come!
San Francisco – Sarah Johnston
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2026 San Francisco Rose Sarah Johnston.
Hello! I’m Sarah and I am so honored to represent the San Francisco Irish-American community this year at the Rose of Tralee. I am 24 years old and from San Mateo, California. I graduated from the University of Colorado, Boulder with a degree in Environmental Design and currently work managing my family’s restaurant in San Carlos, California, Johnston’s Saltbox. My dad’s people are from Portstewart, Co Derry, and Toomebridge, Co Antrim, and my mom’s people are from Glenullin, Co Derry, and Ballydesmond, Co Cork. I am so proud to be Irish-American; it makes the world a little smaller, from leaning on my local community after the death of my Grandpa Brian, to hearing a familiar accent while in New Zealand and finding out they’re regulars at my family’s pub in Coleraine (shoutout Railway Arms!). In my free time I love to golf, catch flights, and hike with my golden retriever, Doc. I am so thrilled to meet new friends for life in my fellow Roses, experience Ireland through a new lens, and make memories to last a lifetime in Tralee.
Hi, y’all! My name is Ally, and I am delighted to represent Texas at the 2026 Rose of Tralee International Festival. I am 29 years old, born and raised in the capital city of Austin, Texas. I began Irish dancing at the age of eight, and I am so fortunate that dance led me to be so deeply immersed in the vibrant Irish community in Texas. After earning my undergraduate degree in Studio Art, I started working in graphic design. I am a Senior Art Director who has worked for two global creative agencies designing and producing social media content. In my free time, I love traveling and making connections with different places and people. I enjoy creating and viewing art of all mediums, supporting artists and musicians, learning new things, and spending time with my friends and family. My Irish heritage comes from County Tipperary. As the Texas Rose, I can’t wait to share this journey with all the Roses and celebrate our Irish culture that spreads across the globe. Texas, I hope I make you proud!
The Belfast I now live in is a city filled with hope, laughter, and unity.
Belfast was reclaimed by the people for music and dance during the Fleadh last week.
By Stephanie Chase August 14, 2026 at 6:00am BST
If you’d asked me five years ago if I would ever be back living in Belfast again, I probably would have told you it was unlikely. I’m someone who left as soon as I could.
At 18, I joined the Irish diaspora in London, not planning to ever come back home permanently.
When I tired of London, I ended up in Liverpool and then Toronto before deciding to return to Belfast for ‘a few months or so’ after more than 15 years away.
This was only because I wanted some time to think about my next move.
However, not long after arriving back, I decided to stay put.
I never hated Belfast but I did think it was a hard place to grow up in and not somewhere I could see a real future.
I was lucky enough not to grow up during The Troubles. My memories of the times before the Good Friday Agreement are limited to seeing the army on the streets, something I thought was totally normal until I moved away.
Although I am part of the generation who supposedly ‘never had it so good’, the peace we achieved never seemed to give way to real progress or prosperity.
Things always felt a little run down and neglected and a bit behind the UK and the rest of Ireland.
The pain of decades of fighting seemed to be always hanging over us and that trauma was passed down to a generation who didn’t have the tools or support to deal with it.
Then there was the unique question of identity. For me, I was born in Ireland and am Irish, but there was a fear of being too outwardly Irish while having to accept you were ‘technically British’.
I often felt things would be so much easier if I’d been born in the south or even across the water, instead of somewhere stuck in between.
But it wasn’t just issues of national identity that made the north seem strange and isolating.
I grew up with gay friends who struggled to come out for fear of rejection from their families and communities.
I knew that women here had different reproductive rights than those living in England, Scotland, and Wales.
We seemed to be forever crawling behind, as if we had been frozen in time during the Troubles while the rest of the world marched on.
But the Belfast I’ve come back to is nothing like the one I left behind.
Of course, there’s a lot of issues that still need to be fixed.
We desperately need better mental health support. We still need to be free from religious zealots influencing our politics, and we need to do a lot more to protect women from violence and abuse in the home.
But where we have made progress, the changes are startling.
Now I see many thriving LGBTQ businesses in the city and a yearly Pride parade that seems to only get bigger.
I see young people being able to live their lives authentically and express themselves fully.
At some point we awakened from the deep sleep the Troubles had left us in and started moving forward.
I now see Irish identity expressed loud and proud, with the Fleadh last week being the culmination of years of progress surrounding Irish language and culture.
One thing I have realised since coming home is that Belfast has always had thriving places of community.
In west Belfast’s Gaeltacht Quarter, the language, culture, and poetry has always been there if you want to find it. But now it seems as if this spirit has travelled through the city.
The Fleadh showed people in Belfast what our city could be. Yes, the lack of cars was great but what was better was celebratory spirit that flowed through the streets.
Our city’s heart only grows bigger when it is worn on our sleeve. We are at our strongest when we come together to sing, dance, and have a pint with friends.
Three decades on from the signing of the Good Friday Agreement, there are many promises left unfulfilled. But the bright future we were told we can have is here and it has been built by the people, not politicians in Westminster.
A lot of ink has been spilled over the Irish unity question in recent months and talk of making a new Ireland has grown louder.
But this new Ireland already exists. It was on full display at the Fleadh and it’s inside every city centre bar on a Saturday night.
Change does not happen quickly, but when all the small steps forward are added up, they make a giant leap.
The Belfast I now live in is a city filled with hope, laughter, and unity.
I left Belfast to find a home but now I’m happy to say I’ve found one, right back where I started.
