PICTURES: Joyous celebrations for new Rose of Tralee, Laois Rose Katelyn Cummins

The Laois Rose Katelyn Cummins has been celebrating her announcement the 2025 International Rose of Tralee, the first Laois Rose to take the title.

Katelyn, 20, was presented with her sash by the 2024 Rose of Tralee Keely O'Grady on Tuesday night. The apprentice electrician is from a Kilkenny farm and works in Alpha Drives in the J17 National Enterprise Park in Portlaoise. 

The fun continued on the streets of Tralee afterwards while Katelyn has a busy year ahead, supported by generous sponsors and prizes. More below photos provided by the Rose of Tralee. TAP NEXT

RTÉ’s Dáithí Ó Sé and Kathryn Thomas made the announcement live from Kerry Sports Academy at MTU to local and global audiences following two exciting TV nights. Over the course of both nights, viewers tuned in from countries including New Zealand, Mozambique, Canada and the United States. 

Katelyn spoke on stage about her rose tattoo she got for her beloved granny, jiving with her escort. 

The apprentice electrician is well up for the international year long job, she already birth calves, compose poetry and do set dancing, as she revealed when she was chosen as Laois Rose earlier this year in the Midlands Park Hotel Portlaoise.

At the Laois Rose night last April, she read out a sweet poem on stage in the Midlands Park Hotel, which she wrote to recite at the funeral of her beloved granny Kathleen, who worked the family farm and “never complained a day in her life”.

Katelyn had told MC Ollie Turner that she is the only girl in her workplace, and was the only one on her college course too.

“The lads treat me the same. At home not by choice I help with the milking and feeding, we finished calving two weeks ago thank God. I would come home from college straight into farming. My younger sister Molly is on the underage Kilkenny panel, my brother Jack plays hurling and soccer. I got the dancing from my mam, she was taught by her dad.”

After her Laois win, Katelyn was modest at the suggestion by the Leinster Express / Laois Live that she might be the first Laois Rose to be chosen as the Rose of Tralee.

“Oh my God I don't know about that now, I'm so young as well. I'm just grateful to be able to have the experience, and to make the memories when I go down there. I'm just going to be myself, that's all I can do. I'm just going to enjoy the experience. I'm so excited,” she had said.

She had described the support of her parents Noel and Siobhan.

PHOTOS of the Laois Rose Selection Night.

“They have been a massive support to me my whole life. My dad pushed me to go for this, I didn't know if I could or not, I thought I was too young. He has been an absolute rock, and my mam, they're both amazing to me.

“I'd like to thank my sponsor as well, Alpha Drives, for believing in me that I could get this far. For being such a great place to work in as well, supporting me no matter what I wanted to do,” she said.

Katelyn joined North Kilkenny Macra in 2023 and became chairperson.

“I've done so much in the time, organising so many events and meeting loads of people. It's great, I love Macra, I'm so glad I joined it. There's such a great social aspect as well. I've done public speaking with them, tag rugby, basketball, loads of things you wouldn't do outside of a club,” she said.