...the Rose of Tralee

Fil-Irish wins prestigious beauty tilt in Ireland

 

 

09/17/2011

GMA News

A Filipino-Irish bagged the beauty title in this year's edition of the prestigious Rose of Tralee international festival in Ireland, the Department of Foreign Affairs has said.

The DFA said Philippine Ambassador to Ireland Ariel Abadilla hosted a luncheon in honor of Filipino-Irish Tara Talbot, this year's titlist.

"The luncheon at the Ambassador's residence was the first official function for Ms. Talbot since she was declared Rose of Tralee last August 23, according to Steve Cronly, national coordinator for the Rose of Tralee International Festival," the DFA said in a news release.

It said Talbot's father is Irish and her mother Carmencita is a Filipina from San Miguel, Pangasinan.

"She was born in Dublin and moved to Australia when she was five years old. She is a secondary school  teacher from the Australian state of Queensland, which she represented at the festival," it added.

The DFA said Talbot is the second Filipino-Irish to win the title since Luzveminda O'Sullivan in 1998.

Also at the luncheon was Alan Farrell, a member of Irish Parliament representing Dublin North, the DFA added.

During the luncheon, Abadilla expressed the pride of the Filipino community in Ireland for having another Filipino-Irish win the prestigious title.

The Rose of Tralee International Festival is one of Ireland's largest and longest running festivals. It marked its 50th anniversary in 2009.

At its heart is the selection of the Rose of Tralee, which brings young women of Irish descent from around the world to County Kerry in Ireland. — LBG, GMA News