Born in Dublin, Amber Crean lived in Wicklow and Meath and Galway before moving to Luxembourg four years ago. She describes herself as “an animal lover”, a self-confessed “foodie” and "tea addict.”

Who, or what, convinced you to enter the Luxembourg Rose?

It’s all down to the influence of a few wise women, namely former roses, Sile, Aedammair, Niamh and Nicola, and several other friends who had participated in the Rose of Luxembourg over the past few years. They all encouraged me to get involved and promised it would be an unforgettable experience. Also, one of my closet friends, Lisa O’Donohue, competed in the Rose of Tralee last August, and my friends and I spent time in Tralee cheering her on. The atmosphere was incredible there and I couldn’t believe the effort that went into making the festival a success. Being immersed in the festival last year was a great experience and it definitely gave me an even deeper appreciation for the tradition and the way it celebrates young Irish women from all around the world.

What has been your favourite memory of Luxembourg since you moved here, and what has been the biggest challenge of living in the grand duchy?

I feel very fortunate to have the opportunity to live and work in Luxembourg but, like many young Irish people around the world, the biggest challenge is being away from your family and friends. With that said, there is such an active Irish community here that you never really feel too far from home. I am lucky enough that I’m surrounded by old friends from my school days, and I have also made many new Irish friends that I would never have had the opportunity to get to know before. Some of my favourite memories have been made on and off the pitch with the Gaelic Sports Club (GSCL). I am currently the Luxembourg ladies’ Gaelic football coach. Being involved with the team over the past few years has been incredibly rewarding. I really look forward to our training sessions and weekends away representing the club at tournaments across Europe. One of the lovely things about our ladies’ team is how diverse it is, as we have lots of players from different countries who have taken up the sport for the first time in Luxembourg. I love how diverse and multi-cultural it is here and getting to know people from different backgrounds is a huge part of the Luxembourg experience.

What would it mean for you to be selected as the Luxembourg Rose? 

I have lived in Luxembourg for almost four years and it has definitely become my home away from home. I hope I could bring my appreciation for this place and all the people I have met here to the role of a Rose. I have really tried to embrace the Luxembourg way of life over the past few years while still holding on tightly to my Irish roots and I think this would be the perfect opportunity to combine the two.

This year’s Rose Ball to select Luxembourg’s Rose of Tralee will be held at the Parc Hotel Alvisse in Dommeldange on 14 April. Details here.