Rose of Tralee 2025: Sparks fly as electrician Katelyn Cummins crowned the winner

Laois Rose, from Ballyouskill, named this year’s Rose of Tralee following televised event over two nights on RTÉ

Katelyn Cummins on stage at the Kerry Sports Academy on Tuesday. Photograph: Domnick Walsh/Eye Focus
Katelyn Cummins on stage at the Kerry Sports Academy on Tuesday. Photograph: Domnick Walsh/Eye Focus

Katelyn Cummins was named the 2025 Rose of Tralee on Tuesday night at the conclusion of this year’s festival in Co Kerry.

She inherits the honour from last year’s winner, Keely O’Grady, who describes the festival as “a beauty pageant that’s not about beauty”.

The 20-year-old electrician hails from village of Ballyouskill, which sits on the Laois and Kilkenny border.

Over the course of the two televised nights, Roses discussed issues as wide-reaching as women’s health, financial literacy, the importance of mental health and how to keep girls participating in sports.

Meme-worthy moments from this year’s contest included hosts Dáithí Ó Sé and Kathryn Thomas performing yoga with dogs, a judicial assistant Rose receiving a gold card for Copper Face Jacks (a lifetime membership that allows you to skip any and all lines in to the Dublin nightclub) and an ode to the jumbo breakfast roll.

This year also saw the replacement of Will Leahy as MC with the breakfast radio host and 2015 Rose of Tralee escort Carl Mullan.

The youth wing of the pageant also had a new edition, with Rose Buddies joining the ranks of the Rose Buds, a group of 6-10 year olds who get to participate alongside the Roses in the festival.

The winner of competition takes home a prize fund that includes the use of a brand-new car for 12 months, free hotel stays and hair treatments in Tralee for the year and a €25,000 travel bursary.