Nicola McEvoy successfully made it through the regional finals, which saw more than 70 international Roses compete from May 30 to June 3 in Portlaoise. She now will be one of the 32 finalists in Tralee this summer.

“It wasn’t in any order, but she was one of the first names called out, so it was brilliant for us,” Deirdre Ecock of the Luxembourg Rose committee said in a phone interview.

“She performed very well on stage and took the whole thing in her stride,” Thérèse Collins, another member of the Luxembourg Rose organisers committee, told Delano after attending the event in Ireland. “And we are delighted that she is going through to Tralee in August to represent Luxembourg!”

McEvoy, a 25-year old native of Cork now teaching at the European School, was named Luxembourg’s Rose by a jury during the annual Rose Ball in March (photo), one of the highlights of the international community’s calendar.

The Rose of Tralee features young women of Irish descent from around the world who should epitomise the best of Irish culture. Previously Luxembourg’s Rose was directly entered into the finals in Tralee, but the rules were modified this year to account for the growing number of Rose centres around the globe.

I haven’t seen all the other Roses and I’m sure they’re lovely,” Ecock added. “But i think she’s got a good chance” to win the final. “She was really, really lovely on stage and sold Luxembourg really well.”

The finals in Tralee take place August 17 to 21 and the winner is announced on a programme televised by Irish state broadcaster RTÉ.

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