On the Road with the 2025 Ohio Rose

By Fiona Conway

Being named as the 2025 Ohio Rose was probably the last thing that I expected to happen this past year. I first heard of the Rose of Tralee and Ohio Rose selection roughly four years ago. Not being familiar with the event, I misunderstood it to be a beauty pageant, so I purposefully missed the deadline each year or came up with a reason not to apply.

However, when the 2025 application cycle opened, my father insisted that I take a chance on the opportunity. I quickly learned that my viewpoint of the festival was completely skewed, as it is, in fact, far beyond anything I could have ever imagined.

First, a bit about me and my roots: I am 23 years old, from Cleveland, Ohio. My ancestry traces back to Doona, Ballycroy, County Mayo, where my great grandparents were born.

I am a member of Team USA Synchronized Skating and have competed at international events in Switzerland, Poland, Latvia, and the Netherlands. Beyond skating, I’m a tenor drummer with the Great Lakes Pipe Band, competing in events such as the World Pipe Band Championships in Glasgow, Scotland!

My road to Tralee began in March of 2025 at the Ohio Rose Selection at the West Side Irish American Club, where twelve candidates vied for the opportunity to represent Ohio, in Ireland. It was a three-day process, filled with private interviews, group interviews, a tour of the city, and, of course, the selection night. It was an incredible feeling to be a part of an organization celebrating Irish heritage and continuing the traditions of our culture.

What Being Irish Means

To me, being Irish is valuing the history of my ancestry and passing down the traditions of my family specifically through music.

During selection night, we had an on-stage interview, and if we wished, we could also perform a “party piece.” Unlike a beauty pageant, we were not blind sided with random questions and expected to reply immediately. Instead, we talked about our passions, our goals, and what being Irish meant to us.

I spent the rest of the night on the dance floor with the other girls, laughing and singing at the top of our lungs. It’s a night I will always remember.

Then, when everything really began, was after the selection night, with interviews, parades, festivals, talk shows, and more. I loved being involved in the parades throughout Ohio and was even asked to speak at the Dublin Irish Festival in Dublin, Ohio. I had four months to prepare for my trip to Ireland, where thirty-one other Roses joined me in a ten-day long trip to compete in the 2025 International Rose of Tralee.

On August 9^th I flew from Cleveland to Dublin, Ireland, then headed to Kildare to meet with the other Roses. From there we headed to Dublin, Offaly, and Limerick to participate in various community events. Along with visiting the communities throughout Ireland, we also had crazy experiences along the way, including going on a yacht, water sliding in the ocean, making our own chocolate, and so much more.

After six days of touring, we finally arrived in Tralee, County Kerry, where we were introduced to our escorts.

My escort, Denis O’Sullivan, was the best man for this job. He is now someone I am proud to be able to call a lifelong friend, and I am grateful for all his help through the commotion of the week!

Rose Bud

We were also introduced to our Rose Bud and Buddie. Each Rose is assigned a young boy and girl that we are responsible for and become a part of the Ohio Rose family! Meeting my Rose Bud, Cliona, and my Rose Buddie, Noah, was my favorite part of the trip; it meant so much to me that I stood as a role model and example for generations to come. I loved being able to share this experience along and with them.

The selection was split into two nights, and each Rose had the opportunity to speak in front of the audience and judges. The show was also streamed on TV both nationally and internationally!

During my interview, I spoke about my future life goals and was even able to perform a tune entitled, Dawning of the Day, alongside my father, who played the bagpipes while I was on the tenor drum. I grew up playing alongside my father all my life – it was such a special moment to be able to share that experience with him.

After the selection night, there was an immense parade that stretched across the city. It felt magical to be able to have an entire city cheering for the Roses and the newly selected Rose of Tralee, Katelyn Cummins.

During the parade I was able to meet the tenner drummers of the Tralee Pipes and Drums Corp. That moment made me realize the impact the Roses have on the community and the role that we play in influencing the next generations of Ireland.

Since returning from Ireland, I have continued to be involved within the Irish community, and I hope to bring more awareness to all that the Rose of Tralee entails. I also have been attending trips with the other Roses and was a part of the St. Patrick’s Day Parade in New York City this past March. I also plan to return to Ireland for the 2026 International Festival to continue to cheer on the next group of Roses.

For any girl that is hesitant to apply to the Ohio Rose, I understand, because I originally was too. But if you take a chance on yourself, it just might open doors that you never thought you would ever walk through.

This experience would not have been possible without the support of the Ohio Rose Centre and Kaytee Daniels, the centre coordinator. Thank you, truly, for everything and thank you for allowing me the opportunity to continue the legacy of the Ohio Rose.

The selection process takes place for two years and is then followed by a one-year break. Because of this rotation, I will be the Ohio Rose through 2026, and the next selection process will take place in March of 2027.

To ensure the legacy continues, the centre relies heavily on donations to help cover the costs of venues, transportation, etc. Please consider donating to the Ohio Rose Centre to allow the next rose to have the same incredible experience. Donations and sponsors can contact info@ohiorose.com or visit https://ohiorose.com/.