Some 4,000 invitations have been sent out by the Rose of Tralee organisers as part of The Gathering.
Former Rose contestants, their families and Rose centre organisers are among those who have been invited to attend this year’s contest in Tralee which takes place this year from August 14th to August 20th.
The Rose of Tralee has always had a strong diaspora theme, but this year an invitation has been sent out to those previously associated with it.
Rose of Tralee presenter Dáithí Ó Sé and the 2012 winner Nicola McEvoy were among those who attended the launch today of a “message in a bottle” which was thrown from the deck of the Kerry-built Jeanie Johnston Replica Ship.
Rose of Tralee general manager Oliver Hurley said: “We’ve embraced a lot of people over the years. It is our opportunity to engage with them and bring them back, their children and their children’s children. It is a chance for them to re-engage and to come back to Tralee and bring more people with them.”
Also present at today’s launch were the first Rose of Tralee Alice O’Sullivan (1959 Dublin) and Róisín Egenton (2000 New York) who now lives in Galway.
Speaking at the launch, Minister for Tourism Leo Varadkar said no figures were available to date, but the early indications suggested that The Gathering had been a success, with 2,600 Gathering events planned. “I think it is working though it is soon to say. We'll know better when we see the (visitor) figures in the spring and summer,” he said.
The Temple Bar Tradfest, which got under way earlier this week, is also part of The Gathering, which is seeking to draw people who have Irish roots or an interest in Ireland to visit the country this year.
The diaspora dimension was catered for by Cape Colours, a group from Cape Breton in Canada, a place with strong Irish and Scottish influences, who played in Dublin City Hall last night.
Tonight sees the turn of The Pride of New York, who also play the City Hall, while London Calling play tomorrow night.
