Roses of the Rockport Area

The Northern Ohio Rose Centre's "Rose Bouquet" includes Ohio Roses: Kelsey Higgins (2013), Grainne Mangan (2014), Bridget Linton (2011) and Ashley Speaker (2012), pictured at the 2014 selection celebration.

Area residents attending Irish festivals this summer should keep an eye out for a very special young lady—The 2014 Ohio Rose, Grainne Mangan of West Park.  One never knows when a “Rose” sighting may occur!  Roses keep their titles for life because “Once a Rose, always a Rose!”

Miss Mangan was bestowed the title during a late April selection celebration—emceed by Danny Coughlin, a Fairview Park resident.  The annual fundraising event was co-hosted by the 2011 Ohio Rose Bridget Linton, a Fox Sports Ohio girl since last August.

Linton was the first Rose selected by the Northern Ohio Rose Centre, an affiliate of The Rose of Tralee International Festival—hosted by Westlake World Partners, a non-profit organization supporting international educational, cultural and civic exchange—in conjunction with the City of Westlake’s sister city program.  Ashley Speaker, currently of Ashland, is the 2012 Ohio Rose and Kelsey Higgins of Springboro, the 2013 Ohio Rose.

The 2014 Ohio Rose, Grainne Mangan has had much excitement of late. Between the time of her selection and trip to The Rose of Tralee International Festival’s Regional Finals in Portlaoise, Ireland, in late May—Mangan graduated from the University of Dayton and accepted a job in Columbus, which she began in late June. The Rockport area boasts another recent “Rose.” She is the 2009 Ohio Rose Annie Dunn of Fairview Park, whose selection coincided with the 50th anniversary of the International Festival.

Roses are no strangers to being “on the go.” Rose participants are young, unmarried women of Irish ancestry—who have a significant awareness of the world around them and are regarded as ambassadors of their heritage. Ohio Roses typically make several public appearances throughout the year. On a spring outing, they visited several retailers at Crocker Park, Pat O'Brien Chevrolet and the Lutheran Home and several local Irish pubs, including P.J. McIntyre's.

Young qualifying women between 18 and 27 who encounter an Ohio Rose should ask her about the Rose experience, and if they find it interesting, should consider applying for the next selection.  More information can be found at www.roseoftralee.ie, (see their “Ohio Centre” page.) The 2014 International Rose of Tralee will be selected in Tralee, Ireland, this coming August. 

Westlake World Partners would like to join its “Tri-City” neighbors in congratulating The Rockport Observer on its First Anniversary.  May everything come up “Roses” for many years to come!