ABU DHABI – DEIRDRE WARD
Deirdre is 27 and from Donegal. She is teaching kindergarten and living in the UAE. She says life is good at the moment and being crowned Abu Dhabi Rose is the icing on the cake
BOSTON & NEW ENGLAND – SARAH HOGAN
Sarah Hogan is 20 and her father is from Kerry. She studied at New School University in New York City and majored in Media Studies and Theater. She studied at the Gaiety School of Acting this summer
CHICAGO – MAEVE McSWEENEY
Maeve, 21, is from Chicago, Illinois, President Obama’s hometown. She is currently on the pre-med track at Marquette University to become a medical doctor specialising in paediatrics
CORK – AOIFE MURPHY
Aoife is 25 and the eldest of four sisters from Mallow. As a research nutritionist completing a PhD in UCD, she is passionate about food and health and is a self-confessed science geek
DARWIN – CAITRÍONA BRENNAN
Caitríona, from Meath, is 27 and living in Australia for three years. She managed a child protection and disability service in Darwin and received a Gold Gaisce Award for community
DERRY – EIMÉAR ANDERSON
Eiméar is 20 and busy fulfilling her dream to become a teacher in St Mary’s University College, Belfast. She hopes to graduate in two years’ time and progress to teaching religious education
DUBAI – MARIE RYAN
Marie Ryan, from Borrisoleigh, Co Tipperary is the youngest of five children. She took a career break from her teaching job in Limerick and to teach Mathematics in Raffles International School, Dubai
DUBLIN – AISLING FINNEGAN
Aisling graduated from Glasgow Caledonian University with a degree in physiotherapy. She works as a sports physiotherapist on weekends for Naas Rugby Club
GALWAY – OLGA LEE
Olga, 25, is from Moycullen, who worked for the past two years in Trinity College as a psychology researcher. She also has a keen interest in entrepreneurship and business psychology
GERMANY – RÓISÍN NÍ MHATHÚNA
Róisín, 22, was born in Birmingham, England, but raised in Rush, Dublin. Since 2014, Berlin is her home ans she works in a multilingual kindergarten in Berlin. She supports Aston Villa
KENTUCKY – EMILY HUGHES
Emily, 22, was born and bred in Kentucky but says she’s a proud Irish gal as her parents are from Tyrone. She graduated with a degree in history and a minor in women and gender studies
KERRY – JULETT CULLOTY
Julett, 25, is from Kilcummin, Killarney and from a family of eight children. She works as a social care worker having graduated from IT Tralee in 2011. She is a passionate Kerry and Liverpool supporter
LONDON – AISLING HILLARY
Aisling, 27, and raised in The Netherlands by a Galwegian mother and Kerry father. She graduated as a doctor and worked in England, Ireland and Australia. She now specialises in ER medicine
LONGFORD – DAPHNE HOWARD
Daphne, 25, is a primary school teacher in Longford, having graduated from Trinity College in 2010. She plays piano and takes part in musical productions with St Mel’s Musical Society
LOUTH – JENNY HANLON
Jenny, 19, lives in a quaint place called Cooley in Ireland’s smallest county. She is finishing a business course in Maynooth University but she hopes to make it as a singer as music is her passion
MEATH – ELYSHA BRENNAN
Elysha, 22, spent six years at Gormanston College and graduated with a student of the year medal. She is now a second year medical student in the Royal College of Surgeons Dublin
MELBOURNE – JOY KERRIGAN
Shannan, 24, was born in South Africa and her family moved to Melbourne in 2010. She is currently working with a mortgage solutions firm and loves sailing, dancing, painting, singing and travelling
MONAGHAN – MICHELLE CAULFIELD
Michelle, 27, teaches junior infants in Dublin and commutes to the capital from Monaghan each day. She says her Mammy’s home cooking makes the drive worth every minute
NEW YORK – SOPHIE COLGAN
Sophie, 23, is a native of Lisnacree, Co Down and after graduating with a degree in Communications and PR, she pursued her dream of moving to NY whre she works with a construction firm
NEW ZEALAND – MAGGIE FEA
21-year-old student Maggie’s great, great, great grandmother, Mary Clifford, left Castlemaine for New Zealand in 1877. She is completing post-graduate studies in Human Resources
PERTH – DENISE LYNCH
Denise, 27, moved to Perth in 2011 and now considers both places to be home. She is completing a Bachelor of Science Degree (Nursing) at Curtin University and works part-time as a beauty therapist !
PHILADELPHIA – MAIRÉAD COMASKEY
Mairéad, 27, has a degree in International Studies and Political Science. She has studied in the US, England, South Africa, the Netherlands and Taiwan and now works as a culture specialist
QUEENSLAND – NIAMH HEALY
Niamh, who grew up in Dublin and Mayo, is 25 living in Australia for three years. A primary teacher, having studied at St Patrick’s College in Dublin, she is now studying a Master of Education in Brisbane
SCOTLAND – BRID MADIGAN
Bríd, 25, is originally from Limerick and moved to Edinburgh three years ago to complete a postgraduate in primary teaching. She is currently working in Dunfermline, Fife and plays Gaelic football
SOUTH AUSTRALIA – CHELSEA THURSBY-MILOVANOVIC
Chelsea, 27, is a neonatal nurse looking after ill and premature babies, Her dad is from Tralee and her grandparents moved to Australia in 1965. She is thrilled to be “home” for the festival
SOUTH CAROLINA – SHANNON KELAHAN-PIERSON
21-year-old Shannon is the first Rose selected from South Carolina. She is a third year undergrad at Coastal Carolina University studying marine science. She also worls as a teacher’s assistant
SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA – LAUREN WALLER
Lauren, 20, is a junior at Pepperdine University in Malibu majoring in Theater Production and Design. She is an artist, singer, poet, lyricist, musician and avid proponent of the theater
SYDNEY – CIARA RAFFERTY
Ciara, was born in a beach town called Port Macquarie and moved to the Sydney when she was five. She is a registered nurse and research team member at Saint Vincent’s Private Hospital, Sydney
TEXAS – SIOBHÁN THOMPSON
Siobhán, 24, is from Houston, Texas who has just graduated from the University of Houston with Bachelors Degree in Music Education. She is currently looking for a job as a high school choir teacher
TORONTO – ERIKA HEALY
Erika, 27, is a recent nursing graduate, looking to pursue a career in the mental health field. Her parents and grandparents are from Kerry and her parents moved to Canada in 1987 just before Erikc was born
WESTERN CANADA – CASSANDRA SAMPSON
Cassandra, 27, was born and raised in Northern Alberta. She has Bachelor of Arts degree and diploma as a physical/occupational therapy assistant, currently working in health and safety
WICKLOW – MEGAN SWART
Megan, 18, is a Leaving Cert student in Carnew. Born in South Africa, she has lived most of her life in Ireland. She has travelled to Uganda with Self Help Africa and is very accomplished academically as well as being a great sportsperson and fundraiser for great causes
* Click on individual images to enlarge and for information
