Two Knockcroghery Roses are Tralee-bound

There is set to be a mass exodus from the Knockcroghery area later this summer as locals will have two Roses, both from the Ballymurray area, to cheer on at the world famous festival after Liverpool Rose Aine Shine was one of the contingent to make it out of the Regional Finals in Portlaoise last weekend. The 24-year pharmacist was one of four contestants from Britain to qualify for The Rose of Tralee Festival proper, which runs from August 20 to 24 next, and she will join the current San Francisco Rose Roisín Hunt, also from Curry, Ballymurray who is already Kerry bound after scooping the US title at the end of April. Unfortunately, the other interest Roscommon Rose Deirdre Lenehan from Athlone failed to make the top six of the 29 Irish contestants at the Regional Finals. A member of St Dominic's GAA club in Roscommon, Aine Shine is the daughter of Larry and Anne Shine and works in Davey's Chemist in Liverpool. She has played camogie from a young age and for her county, and was recently selected as captain for the University of Sunderland Gaelic football team. Aine will join the Leicester and Sunderland Roses who also qualified for the Kerry festival, along with Irish Regional Roses from Belfast, Down, Laois, Carlow, Tipperary and Leitrim. However, Westmeath Rose, Cathy Broughan, from Athlone was unsuccessful.