Please Attach
a photo.
Ottawa Rose Selection
Application Form (2015)
Details in
Eligibility
Criteria
Please e-mail a copy of your application to info@roseoftralee.ca no later than
Monday February 23rd 2015 by 11:59pm. A cheque for your entry fee is also required.
PERSONAL DETAILS
Name in full:
Name normally used:
Address:
Date of Birth:
(dd/mm/yyyy)
County/State/Centre you wish to represent:
Place of Birth (i.e. County):
Telephone
Home:
Work:
Mobile:
Email (if you do not have a personal email address, please supply an alternative one where we can
reach you). It is imperative that this email account is accessed on a regular basis.
EDUCATION
Please give brief details of education to date
1
EMPLOYMENT
Occupation:
Organization:
Do you plan this as a full time career? (if you are a full-time student, please state this here and
that your occupation is in conjunction with your full-time studies)
PARENTS AND FAMILY
Father’s name:
Place of birth:
Address & Tel No:
Mother’s name:
Place of birth:
Address & Tel No (if different from above):
Specific to the Ottawa Centre Application: Please describe what you know about your Irish
heritage: e.g. Maternal/paternal side(s) of your family; How many generations ago your family
arrived in Canada; For those ancestors who immigrated to Canada, which county(ies) were they
from in Ireland (if known); Is there a family story about your Irish ancestors you would like to share?
Do you or members of your family have any active involvement with organizations, clubs, etc.?
Have any members of your family entered the Rose Selection in the past? If so, please give details
(name, year, centre etc.).
LEISURE ACTIVITIES/SPECIAL INTEREST
Please list your hobbies, leisure activities/sports interests or club membership(s). Include any
special achievements.
2
Do you play a musical instrument, sing, dance or perform on stage?
Please list your likes/dislikes:
List your favourite entertainers/performers:
What do you most like about where you live and work?
Have you previously entered any events similar to the Rose of Tralee? Give details.
Is there any personality you would like to meet and why?
What would it mean to you if you became the Ottawa Rose?
What qualities do you think a Rose should have?
What are your personal goals and ambitions?
3
What personal quality are you most proud of?
Where do you see yourself five years from now?
PERFORMANCE
There may be an opportunity for Roses to perform during the selection process. If you wish to be
considered please state below what you would like to perform. It is important to note that
performances are not obligatory but are purely a form of entertainment and are not considered in
the judging process.
NO
YES
If you answered ‘Yes’ above, please elaborate:
Please Note: For the Ottawa Selections, you must identify what you will require (e.g., space to dance,
cd player, microphone, etc.) below and understand that certain restrictions may apply based on the
space available at the selection venue. There is also a time-limit for your voluntary performance.
Further details can be found in Appendix A
Eligibility Criteria
To apply to be a Rose, you must complete a Rose application form that includes the following
eligibility criteria:
a) Be 18 years of age by January 1st next and will not have reached your 28th birthday on
or prior to the following September 1st.
b) Be unmarried or never been married.
c) Be female, born in Ireland, or an Irish citizen or of Irish origin by virtue of one of your
ancestors having been born in Ireland.
d) For applicants residing outside the island of Ireland - be living in the region you wish to
represent for a minimum of one year and recommend that if selected as the Rose that you
will remain resident in this region for the following 12 months.
e) Never have previously represented any Centre as a Rose in the Regional Festival or
International Rose of Tralee Selection.
f) Be available for Rose Selection events and if selected be available for the Regional
Festival and International Festival events.
4
Criteria Specific to the Ottawa Centre:
c) Be available to participate in the Ottawa Rose Selection Weekend from the evening of
Friday March 13th to the evening of Sunday March 15th 2015. Further details on the 2015
Ottawa Rose Selection weekend can be found in Appendix B.
d) Enclose a $300.00 cheque written out to, “Rose of Tralee Ottawa Centre” to cover the
entry fee to the Rose of Tralee Ottawa Selection.
Applicants are greatly encouraged to seek out sponsorship for this entry fee. Please see
Appendix C for more details on sponsorship.
e) Provide passport-size photo electronically with application. This photo will be used in
promotional material and on Ottawa Centre media outlets (website, Facebook). Headshot
must be in colour, preferably head on. Head and shoulders, both eyes visible (look at Rose
of Tralee International website to see images of 2014 Roses). Photo does not have to be
professionally done, simply high resolution for the purposes of reproduction.
Please note that it is your responsibility that you comply with all the above eligibility criteria.
Breach of the above will result in automatic disqualification.
We along with our sponsors and associates of the Rose of Tralee International Festival may contact
you in the future with information about products and services. If you do not wish to receive such
information please tick here ____
Signed: ___________________________________________________
Date:
__________________________
Sponsor for Ottawa Rose Selection Weekend: _______________________________________________
(See Eligibility Criteria (h) and Appendix C for details)
Please indicate where/how you heard about the Search for a Rose:

Facebook

Twitter

Rose of Tralee Festival Website

Rose of Tralee Ottawa Centre Website

Friend/word of mouth

Television

Information Day

Advertisement (please state where)

I have entered before

Other (please elaborate)
5
The Rose of Tralee International Festival reserves the right at any time to disqualify a Rose from
participation in the Selection process, with immediate effect if she has in the opinion of the
Company committed a breach of the entry requirements or should do anything which may in the
opinion of the Company bring the Rose of Tralee International Festival Company into disrepute.
Please send ncheque for entry fee to:
Post:
Rose of Tralee Ottawa Centre
c/o Austin Comerton
58 Westpark Dr
Ottawa, ON K1B 3E5
Please e-mail a copy of your application to info@roseoftralee.ca no later than Monday
February 23rd 2015 by 11:59pm
Email: info@roseoftralee.ca
Phone: 613-800-1853
6
APPENDIX A
PERFORMANCE
The “Party Piece”
As stated in the application form above, there may be an opportunity for Roses to perform during
the selection process. If you wish to be considered, please state in your application above what you
would like to perform. It is important to note that performances are not obligatory but are purely
a form of entertainment and are not considered in the judging process.
For the Ottawa Rose Selection Weekend, you must identify what you will require (e.g., space to
dance, cd player, microphone, etc.) in your application above. Your party piece must be confirmed
at time of application submission with details of any requirements identified.
All applicants must understand that certain restrictions may apply based on the space available at
the selection venue.
There is a time-limit for your voluntary performance “party piece”. In previous years, it has been
the remaining 3 minutes of your onstage interview. If an applicant chooses to not have a party
piece, she will have the same amount of time on stage. (i.e. Her onstage interview will be
extended for the 3 minutes provided for a party piece).
EXAMPLES OF PREVIOUS PARTY PIECES AT OTTAWA ROSE SELECTIONS
There are a multitude of talents to be found in Rose Applicants. This is not an exhaustive list, but
highlights previous Ottawa Rose Applicant party pieces:
- Musical solo (voice or instrumental)
- Facepainting
- Video of your hobby (Gaelic football, snowshoeing)
- Origami party trick
- CPR demonstration
- Dance routine
- Dramatic recitation/monologue
- Boxing demonstration
We encourage you to choose a party piece that shows the audience one of your hobbies or talents
for the purposes of entertainment and providing the variety show atmosphere the Rose of Tralee
International Festival encourages.
APPENDIX B
OTTAWA ROSE SELECTION WEEKEND
2015 OTTAWA ROSE SELECTION WEEKEND
Ottawa Rose Applicants must be available to participate in the Ottawa Rose Selection Weekend
from the evening of Friday March 13th to the evening of Sunday March 15th 2015.
Transportation costs of Applicants travelling to the Ottawa Rose Selection Weekend (e.g. flights,
train tickets, car rentals, bus fares etc.) are the responsibility of the Applicant.
For those Applicants arriving from outside Ottawa/the National Capital Region, the Ottawa Centre
asks that you arrange your transportation so that you can arrive by 6:00pm Friday March 13th, and
depart no earlier than 7:00pm Sunday March 15th.
The Ottawa Selection Weekend takes place Friday March 13th to Sunday March 15th 2015 in Ottawa,
Ontario and aligns with the Ottawa Irish Festival. Applicants will be staying in a downtown hotel,
courtesy of the Rose of Tralee Ottawa Centre. At no time in the Ottawa Selection Weekend
itinerary will Rose Applicants be expected to “pay her own way”. All costs are covered by the
Ottawa Centre for the duration of the weekend.
Please identify as soon as possible if you have any dietary needs/restrictions we must consider
for the Ottawa Rose Selection Weekend.
7
Once your application is submitted to the Ottawa Centre, you will receive more detail about the
weekend's itinerary. The primary components specific to the selection of the Rose are individual
and group interviews with the panel of judges, and the official selection event on Sunday March
15th, where you will be interviewed in front of an audience. In addition to these events, Rose
Applicants will participate in a number of activities as part of the Ottawa Irish Festival, including
the St. Patrick's Parade on Saturday.
Keep in mind, it is beneficial to have that something unique about you come across in your
application and interviews - something that can be discussed alongside your interests, experience,
and accomplishments. As described by the official festival in Tralee, a Rose represents the
collective aspirations, social responsibilities and ambitions of young women of Irish descent. The
festival brings together these Roses from around the world to participate in one of the longest
running festivals in Ireland.
As a 2015 Applicant, you will be invited to attend other events put on by the Rose of Tralee Ottawa
Centre throughout the year, and events in the Ottawa Irish Community.
FOLLOWING THE 2015 OTTAWA ROSE SELECTION WEEKEND
To be a Rose is a great opportunity to visit Ireland and meet other Roses from around the world;
but there is a lot that can be done as the Rose at home too. We encourage each Rose to marry
being the Rose for the year with something in which she is already involved or interested. So, if the
Rose happens to have a unique fundraising idea, or work with a non-profit organization already, it
is ideal for the Centre to be behind her in making the link for that year.
Following the 2015 Ottawa Rose Selection, you will meet with the Ottawa Centre representatives to
receive further details on being the 2015 Ottawa Rose in Ottawa, and in Ireland.
If selected to be the 2015 Ottawa Rose, you may be required to arrange your schedule in order to
undertake media interviews, and attend social events/public engagements as the Ottawa Rose.
If selected to be the 2015 Ottawa Rose, you are not responsible for flights to and from Ireland. The
flight to Rose of Tralee Regionals (May-June 2015) is covered by the Ottawa Centre. If you are one
of the Canadian Roses chosen to return to Ireland in August, the International Festival pays for the
Flight in August 2015.
The 2015 Ottawa Rose will be provided with a $1,000.00 wardrobe allowance from the Rose of
Tralee Ottawa Centre for the Rose of Tralee Regionals.
APPENDIX C
SPONSORSHIP
Criteria Specific to the Rose of Tralee Ottawa Centre includes payment of a $300.00 entry fee. This
can be paid for by a sponsor. This entry fee helps to cover costs accrued during the Ottawa Rose
Selection Weekend.
A $300.00 cheque written out to the Rose of Tralee Ottawa Centre must be sent with a hardcopy
of your Application form.
The Rose of Tralee Ottawa Centre is a Not-For-Profit Organization and relies on fundraisers,
donations, and applicant entry fees to:
- Run the annual Ottawa Rose Selection Weekend;
- Pay the entry fee to The Rose of Tralee International Festival for the Ottawa Rose;
- Provide a flight to Ireland for the Ottawa Rose to attend the Rose of Tralee Regionals; and
- Assist the Rose with clothing allowance for Rose events.
The annual requirement for the Rose of Tralee Ottawa Centre is approximately $10,000. 00.
8
Applicants are greatly encouraged to seek out sponsorship for this entry fee. A Rose Applicant’s
sponsor can be anyone - an individual, a business or an organization. An Irish connection is not
necessary for the Sponsor. It is always nice if the applicant has a link to her sponsor (i.e. she is part
of that organization, she works at that pub, she knows the owners of the business, etc.) but this
too, is not a requirement. For the duration of the 2015 Ottawa Rose Selection Weekend, a Rose
Applicant will have their Sponsor’s name on display on a sash.
It is at a Rose Applicant’s discretion to ask to be sponsored but it is greatly encouraged. Applicants
may approach one of the previous sponsors, or seek sponsorship from a connection she has
personally.
When seeking sponsorship, you may want to provide your contact with the following information:
The Rose of Tralee International Festival is one of Ireland's largest and longest running
festivals, celebrating 50 years in 2009. The heart of the festival is the selection of the Rose of
Tralee which brings young women of Irish descent from around the world to County Kerry, Ireland
for a global celebration of Irish culture. The Ottawa Centre has been a part of the Festival since
2009 and continues to grow each year. A Selection Panel from the Ottawa Irish community selects
the applicant they see best embodying the qualities and characteristic of a “Rose”. As described
by the official festival in Tralee, a Rose represents the collective aspirations, social
responsibilities and ambitions of young women of Irish descent. The festival brings together these
Roses from around the world to participate in one of the longest running festivals in Ireland. The
Rose of Tralee Ottawa Centre believes it is important to offer the opportunity to be a part of this
enduring tradition.
Over the course of the year, the Ottawa Centre takes every opportunity to acknowledge
the support received by its sponsors. Logos are featured prominently on the Centre website:
www.roseoftralee.ca. The selection of the Ottawa Rose takes place during a weekend of the
Ottawa Irish Festival. Sponsors’ names are featured at multiple Ottawa Irish Festival events
where Rose applicants are in attendance, including the annual St. Patrick’s Parade. As a result,
being a sponsor either for the Ottawa Centre or to a Rose applicant is a great opportunity to
increase the visibility of your business within the Irish community; and to the greater public
audience attending Ottawa Irish Festival events.
Please identify in your application form (or as soon as possible) the name of your sponsor as
you/they would like it to appear on your sash.
9