Unveiling the 2025 Roses Advocating for Prioritization of Women's Healthcare Services
Rose of Tralee Festival Spotlights Women's Health Advocacy
The 2022 Rose of Tralee International Festival, taking place from August 15th to 19th in Co Kerry, is not just a celebration of beauty and culture. This year, the festival is also a platform for advocacy on women's health issues.
Thirty-two women from nine countries are competing in the festival, each with their own stories to tell. One of the contestants, Armagh Rose Erin McCormac, is vocal about post-partum mental health issues. She criticizes the lack of a specialist mother-and-baby unit on the island of Ireland for mothers experiencing serious issues post-partum. McCormac plans to use the platform gained through the competition to help raise funds for a psychiatric mother and baby unit in Belfast.
Another contestant, Co Meath Rose Ella Bannon, is competing for the title of Rose at the festival. Bannon sees the Rose of Tralee as an opportunity to raise awareness about women's health issues, particularly cervical cancer and hearing loss.
The importance of CervicalCheck, Ireland's national cervical cancer screening programme, was highlighted during the festival. Early detection and treatment are crucial in reducing the incidence of cervical cancer, and despite occasional failings, early detection programmes save lives.
Hearing loss awareness among women is another concern. There is active advocacy for regular hearing tests and the benefits of early treatment, including hearing aids, which are shown to reduce dementia risk. The current low take-up of hearing aids among those needing them is a public health concern, leading to campaigns for a National Hearing Care Plan to improve access and education.
Luxembourg Rose Aisling Guilfoyle spoke about her experience with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) during the festival. Guilfoyle uses a low-inflammatory diet to manage her PCOS symptoms and sees the Rose of Tralee as an opportunity to advocate for women with PCOS and share knowledge about managing the disease.
Texas Rose Sara Costa, who had plans to enter the competition since she was 12, was not able to compete in 2022 due to a thyroid cancer diagnosis. Costa had to advocate for herself in the healthcare system after her initial diagnosis.
The festival's activities include photoshoots, parades, TikTok clips, and general chatting. On Tuesday, the Roses had a photoshoot aboard the MV Cill Airne boat in Dublin's docklands. The Roses also gathered in Trim, Bannon's hometown, for a banquet and dance on Monday. Dáithí Ó Sé and Kathryn Thomas joined the Roses for a group photo on the deck.
The Rose of Tralee International Festival is more than just a beauty pageant. It's a platform for advocacy, a place where women can share their stories and raise awareness about important women's health issues. This year's festival is a testament to that, with contestants speaking out about cervical cancer, hearing loss, PCOS, and post-partum mental health issues.
- Erin McCormac, Armagh Rose and contestant in the Rose of Tralee International Festival, is vocal about post-partum mental health issues and plans to use her platform to help raise funds for a psychiatric mother and baby unit in Belfast.
- Ella Bannon, Co Meath Rose, is competing to raise awareness about women's health issues, particularly cervical cancer and hearing loss, at the festival.
- Aisling Guilfoyle, representing Luxembourg, shared her experience with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) during the festival and advocates for women with PCOS, promoting knowledge about managing the disease.
