The Roses are gathering in Tralee next August and the 2012 Rose of Tralee, Nicola McEvoy, is heading north to spend a week issuing invitations to the people of Ulster  to join in the celebrations in Kerry.

Could 2013 be the year that a Rose from the province of Ulster  follows in the footsteps of three Belfast ladies -Therese Gillespie (1965), Veronica McCambridge (1973) and Marita Marron (1979) – and become the Rose of Tralee?

A major part of the process to find the next Rose of Tralee will be Nicola’s weeklong trip to issue a personal invitation to young Irish women to follow their dreams and enter a Rose Selection near them.

She will visit a number of towns and cities from Belfast to Letterkenny and from Newry to Derry including stops at Titanic Belfast, Stormont Castle and the Walls of Derry.

The 2012 Rose of Tralee, Nicola McEvoy, said: “The search to find the next Rose in each of the nine counties of Ulster is now underway and anyone who enters a Rose selection will never regret the experience of a lifetime in which they will make lifelong friends and have the best fun along the way. Becoming the Rose of Tralee was a huge added bonus to what can only be described as the most exciting year of my life.”

Newbridge Silverware, the lead sponsors of the Festival, will present the next Rose of Tralee with a range of handcrafted jewellery and homeware products. She will also receive a World Travel Prize worth €25,000 from Dublin Airport Authority, a year’s driving in a brand new car and much more.

The Rose of Tralee International Festival has connected the global Irish community in Tralee since 1959 attracting millions of festival-goers, thousands of Roses, their Escorts, families and friends, entertainers, volunteers, judges and sponsors.

This year, in conjunction with Fáilte Ireland, they are all invited to come for the Rose Gathering and to stay for an extended Festival to enjoy a full programme of events to help visitors re-connect with Tralee and the many people who share the same experience.

Anyone who registers to attend the Rose Gathering – email [email protected] - before March 1st will have a chance to win FREE accommodation in a four-bedroom apartment in Tralee during the week of the Festival.

The 2013 Rose of Tralee will be crowned in the Dome on Tuesday 20th August after Dáithí Ó Sé presents two wonderful nights entertainment to a huge TV audience.

The charismatic west Kerryman said that it’s easy to think about the warmth of August in this cold weather and he’s looking forward to hosting it again and seeing all the Roses return to Kerry.

Entry forms and full details of how to become a Rose in any of the Ulster counties are available from www.roseoftralee.ie or by contacting +353 66 7121322 before the approaching deadline.