Athlone girl (10) relishing 'Rosebud' role at Rose of Tralee festival

A 10-year-old girl from Athlone is involved in this year's Rose of Tralee festivities, having been selected as one of the 'Rosebuds' at the high-profile event.

Clodagh Lee, a daughter of Trevor and Noelle, is a pupil of St Mary's National School, Athlone.

She was thrilled to be chosen, from hundreds of entries, to be one of the 32 young Rosebuds playing their part at the 2024 festival.

Clodagh was paired with the Melbourne Rose, Dervla Dolan.

She has also been meeting the other Roses in the Kingdom, including Westmeath Rose Grace O'Connor.

The first of the two Rose of Tralee selection nights, hosted by Dáithí Ó Sé and Kathryn Thomas, will be broadcast on RTÉ One from 8pm this evening (Monday).

Dervla Dolan will be among the first group of eighteen Roses taking to the stage in the Dome. She will be the eighth Rose interviewed tonight.

Roscommon Rose Rachel Hastings and Westmeath's Grace O'Connor, meanwhile, will both be interviewed on stage tomorrow (Tuesday) night.