In Ireland the inevitable never happens and the unexpected constantly occurs.*
Mark and I went to Emo Court on Thursday, May 30th. We were tasked by Study Abroad Ireland
director Barry Vaughan to make the lunch and tour reservations for the students’
visit there on Monday, June 3rd, which is a bank holiday in Ireland.
We were just coming out of the grand house when four vans whisked right
up to the bottom of the steps. Three of
the vans were official County Laois Civil Defense vans with their blue lights
flashing on top. With the gravel
crunching and spraying the vans came to a stop and out came pouring dozens of
absolutely gorgeous young women in splendid spring garb and sporting facetious
hats at rakish angles. The Rose of Tralee regional contestants had arrived for
their tour of Emo Court!
I knew Arizona sent a contestant and since each one was wearing a banner
with her point of origin, it was easy to find Holly Nordquist. I had met her in Phoenix at the Colleen and
Rose of Tralee Tea a few weeks ago. The
serendipity of it all was very exciting, and of all the beauties arrayed there
Holly was still a stand-out!
The Rose of Tralee is an international competition that culminates in
August. This Regional Festival is to winnow the group of 61 contestants down to the 32 that will appear on the
nationally televised finale. The
Regional Festival takes place over three nights, and the last night is
tonight. Holly has already competed, but
we won’t know until tomorrow if she will advance. I’m thinking she has a great shot!
Congratulations to Holly and to the Arizona Rose of Tralee organization,
led by Ann Niemann, for all the hard work it takes to make this happen!
Holly is the third one from the right in the dark blue dress.
*Reverend Sir John Pentland Mahaffy (1839-1919), quoted in W.B. Stanford and R. B. McDowell's Mahaffy (1971). I found it in Heroic Landscapes by Rod O'Donoghue.
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