16/08/2025
🌹 The Rose of Tralee: A Family Legacy of Tradition and Celebration 🌹
Since 1959, the Rose of Tralee has been a cherished celebration of Irish culture, spirit, and community — and for us here at Roger Harty’s, it’s a tradition rooted in our very foundations.
The festival was originally inspired by a group of five local men — Dan Nolan (publisher of The Kerryman), his brother Ned Nolan, solicitor Joe Grace, local butcher Florence O’Connor, and our very own Roger Harty Snr of Harty’s Bar. They gathered in the bar to share ideas about reviving the 19th-century ballad, The Rose of Tralee, written by local merchant William Pembroke Mulchinock, and from those conversations, a global celebration of Irish identity was born.
Today, that legacy continues with Roger Harty, son of Roger Harty Snr., who has proudly supported the festival as a committee member, volunteer, and chaperone for 36 years.
We were especially honoured recently to welcome Alice O’Sullivan, the very first Rose of Tralee who won the crown for Dublin in 1959 in its inaugural year, to the store. It was a wonderful moment to see Alice and Roger together — a living link between the festival’s remarkable past and its vibrant present.
As the festival begins this weekend, we wish all the Roses, organizers, and volunteers the very best of luck. Here’s to community, heritage, and another magical year of the Rose of Tralee! 🌍🍀🌹🌹🌹