Picture Gallery: The Kilkenny Rose Final at the Ormonde Hotel

Helena Hughes wowed the judges at the Rose of Kilkenny finals at the Ormonde Hotel on Saturday and will represent her county at the Rose of Tralee festival in August.
Co-ordinator, Lyn Moloney described the finals as ‘incredible’ adding that the feedback to date was ‘super’.
“The show was highly entertaining and the MC Ollie Turner had the audience in stitches.
“The entertainment element of the show was like something that you would see on X-Factor even though the girls are not judged on that,”she said.
“The Kilkenny Rose team are very much looking forward to the year ahead with Helena. She is a wonderful lady and will be a fantastic ambassador for Kilkenny city and county,” added Ms Moloney.
Helena is from Kilkenny City. The 25-year-old works as a buying assistant in Brown Thomas head office. She is completing a Masters in Fashion Buying and Management part-time in DIT, and previously won the DIT Arthur Ryan Gold Medal in 2016 .
"I love music, I play celtic piano and sing as an alto in the Brown Thomas choir. I’ve been a life-long fan of the Rose of Tralee - it’s up there with Eurovision and the Late Late Toy Show!," she said.
"I’m a real home-bird from a modern family now based in Kells. I love spending time with my Kerry-born Granny. She’s 91 and blind, but her resilience and wisdom is phenomenal," she added.
"After studying French and English in Trinity, I spent a year working in France before coming home - absence certainly makes the heart grow fonder! I’m delighted to be sponsored by the independent coffeehouse Fennelly’s of Callan."
The 27 finalists were interviewed live on stage before the judges made their final decision.
In recent months all the local Roses have engaged in a number of fun and social activities across the city and county.
Helena will go on to represent Kilkenny which will be held in Tralee in August.