'The Rose of Tralee is lowkey one of the worst shows the RTÉ has ever aired'

The Rose of Tralee is an international Irish festival and beauty pageant, which takes place in Tralee, County Kerry, and celebrates Irish culture and heritage, featuring young women of Irish descent from around the world.

This year's Rose, Katelyn, is a 20-year-old electrical apprentice from the village of Ballyouskill, which sits on the border of Laois and Kilkenny.

Ms Cummins said she was in "shock" when she was named this year's winner: "I had my legs crossed. I thought I was going to fall over, to be honest. I couldn’t believe it when they said Laois," per The Irish Times.

Katelyn describes the festival as a "beauty pageant that's not about beauty", however, not everyone seems to agree.

As with all kinds of 'beauty pageants', you either love 'em or hate 'em. This year, a lot of people seem to hate 'em.

Many people across the country tuned in to watch the Roses take the stage, with 'Rose of Tralee' quickly trending on X.

This year, many people shared their opinions on the social media platform, and they did not hold back.

the rose of tralee is lowkey one of the worst shows the rte has ever aired and thank fuck it’s only on once a year pic.twitter.com/lIjYKrwIFX

— clodagh ✧ (@blacklandshore) August 19, 2025

Others claim the show has become too woke, pointing to the organisers putting a stop to someone singing 'The Tune', along with the absence of a sparkly tiara.

They wrote: "Are the organisers so afraid of the woke mob that they dropped a bloke singing the tune? Dropped a sparkly tiara? And afraid to bring the Rose down to meet the parents for fear that it's seen as parading a girl around?"

With another writing: "When will they go back to CROWNING the Rose of Tralee."

However, not everyone seems to agree with this claim, stating that the competition is outdated and remains degrading to women.

I feel similarly about the Rose of Tralee as I do about the British Royal Family. It’s dumb, outdated and degrading, but, if the public wants it (and they seem to in both cases), let them have it.

— 🥃Donald Clarke📽️ (@DonaldClarke63) August 18, 2025

The winners of the competition have an array of prizes to look forward to.

The 2025 Rose of Tralee package includes:

• A complimentary accommodation at the Meadowlands Hotel, Tralee-
• A brand new Kia Niro Plug-In Hybrid worth over €40,000 for 12 months
• A prize fund valued at €25,000
• Free hair styling for the coming year from Brush ‘N’ Blush hair and beauty group, who is the Official Hair Partner of the Rose of Tralee
• A week-long holiday in the Kingdom for the Rose of Tralee and a friend, from the Tralee Bay on the Wild Atlantic Way to the Lakes of Killarney and Dingle’s stunning scenery, from Kerry County Council