New York Rose Crowned 2023 International Rose Of Tralee

New York Rose Róisín Wiley was crowned 2023 International Rose Of Tralee.

Reacting to her victory, Wiley whose parents originally hail from Limerick, said that she was "speechless".

They emigrated to New York in the 20s, with her mother Majella hailing from Templegaltine, and her father Eddie from Kilmallock, with Róisín saying that they have "built an amazing life for my younger brother John and I in Westchester, NY".

On being crowned International Rose of Tralee for 2023, Wiley said, "I'm so thankful, and I'm just so excited for the next year". 

"Oh my goodness, wow. I'm amazed. I'm so thankful for meeting all these girls... Thank you to everyone", she added. 

On the night itself, Róisín Wiley stated that taking part at the festival was "a big part of my life in helping me find my strength and my confidence", 

She continued, "I think all the girls and I can attest to the fact that the Rose of Tralee just makes you feel empowered by what makes you feel beautiful yourself. So everything that makes us different and makes us who we are is really what kind of embodies what the Rose of Tralee [is about]". 

"Pursuing this now has been such a perfect opportunity for me, as I'm kind of later in my 20s, finding myself. It's been amazing". 

Elsewhere, Róisín also performed  The Cottage with the Horseshoe O'er the Door, which she said was a personal favourite of her late grandfather Charlie O'Reilly. 

"It's a song that my late grandfather Charlie O'Reilly would sing all the time, and my mom told me it's the first song that she sang to me in the hospital when I was born", she revealed to the audience at the Kerry Sports Academy on the Munster Technological University campus. "So I'd love to sing it for my family".