Gallery: Threecastles rousing send off for Kilkenny Rose Rachel

On a perfect summer evening, the event took place at Campion’s Pub in Threecastles.

A native of the area, Rachel was joined by family and friends, who will be heading off to County Kerry later this week, to cheer her on in the festival, and those who will be supporting her from here in Kilkenny.

The traditional pre-festival Rose Tour began last Sunday, when all the Irish and International Roses gathered for the first time at the Knightsbrook Hotel in the Boyne Valley, where a family fun day was held to let everyone get to know each other.

Since she was named as Kilkenny Rose, last April, Rachel has travelled to several other Rose selection events so was looking forward to meeting up with her new friends again for the tour and festival.

“I’ve met so many of the girls. They are so incredible,” Rachel told the Kilkenny People, recently.

At the Leitrim, Kerry and Dublin events Rachel met some of the other Irish Roses.

She travelled to the UK for the London Rose selection where she met the London Rose and the Yorkshire Rose. Rachel said “they will have a familiar face when they come to Tralee.”

One of the tour highlights for Rachel was accompanying the tour back to her home county! Yesterday (Tuesday) the tour made a stop at the appropriately named Valley of Roses on RoseInn Street and at McSorley’s Bar on John Street – both of whom have been supporters of Rachel as she prepared for the festival.

You can see Rachel on RTE as part of the International Rose of Tralee Festival next week.