MYRTLE BEACH, SC (WBTW) – The Irish-American community is working to grow its international presence right here in South Carolina.
Shannon Kelehan-Pierson joined News13 NOW at 9 a.m. on Friday to talk about the “Rose of Tralee International Festival” and the efforts to increase awareness of South Carolina’s role in the iconic affair.
The Rose of Tralee International Festival, held every August in Tralee, Ireland, is dedicated to celebrating the modern Irish woman and Irish heritage across the globe. 2016 will be the festival’s 56th year, and hopefully it will be the second year that South Carolina is represented.
Shannon Kelahan-Pierson, a Senior majoring in Marine Biology at Coastal Carolina University, was the first South Carolina Rose, selected in April of 2015, and traveled to Tralee, Ireland last August to represent South Carolina. Describing her week-long experience in Ireland to News13’s Brandon Herring, “It was an absolute blast”.
Now is the time of year when Centers around the world hold selection ceremonies to choose their “Rose” to represent them at the festival. Still in its infancy, the South Carolina Rose Center is working to get more people involved in the selection process, especially young women interested in being selected as a Rose.
To be a Rose candidate you must be a woman, ages 18-27, and of Irish descent. If you’re interested you can contact Mike O’Driscoll at mod1936@aol.com.
Did we mention that if selected you get a FREE trip to Ireland in August? More information can be found at www.roseoftralee.ie or on Facebook at facebook.com/roseoftraleefestival.
The dedicated page for the SC Rose is at here, and the center also has a SC Rose of Tralee facebook page. North Carolinians of Irish descent may be interested in this page or the NC Rose of Tralee facebook page.
