Meath men will escort the Roses in Tralee

FOUR Meath men have been selected as Rose Escorts for the Rose of Tralee International Festival.
Paul Fitzpatrick from Trim, Mark Cannon from Dunshaughlin, Dan Gallagher from Dunboyne and Liam Hogan from Duleek were among the group of 32 Irish lads who made it through the rigours of the Rose of Tralee Boot Camp for Escorts.
They will spend the week with the Roses, during the festival, which runs from 15th to 19th August.
Nearly 200 men aged between 21 and 30 applied to become escorts at this year’s Rose of Tralee International Festival and following a detailed interview process, the final 32 were selected to take part in a Boot Camp weekend in west Kerry to help them prepare for a busy week in Tralee.

This year’s Boot Camp activities, supported by Kerry County Council and Údarás na Gaelteachta, were staged in Dingle where the lads had to surf, cycle, carry tyres, fly kites, play tag rugby and build sand castles in order to prove they will have the stamina to be a Rose Escort.
On Monday night 18th August, one of the 32 Escorts will be announced as the Newbridge Silverware Escort of the Year for 2014 and will walk away with a wonderful prize valued at €5,000.
The 2014 Rose of Tralee International Festival will take place in Tralee from 15th to 19th  August .