WEST Cork is well represented at this year’s Rose of Tralee by four dashing escorts: James Buckley (25) from Bantry, James Kelleher (21) from Crosshaven, and Evan O’Donnell (26) and Sam Donworth (25), both from Carrigaline.
James, a radiographer by profession, has been given two weeks annual leave by his employers at St James Hospital in Dublin to fulfil a long-held desire to be part of the festival.
‘We grew-up watching it with our neighbours. It was always a big event every August, and would have a few ‘bob’ on who we thought the winning Rose would be,’ James told The Southern Star.
‘In the back of my mind, I always thought I’d like to be involved in it,’ said James. ‘I like to talk. That is my biggest personality trait. It’s probably a downfall at times because I can say too much.
‘I enjoy interacting with people and meeting people from different backgrounds. It’s why I applied to be part of the Rose of Tralee Festival.’
All four escorts will be on hand to support their paired Rose from August 13th to August 20th, though they won’t learn who that is until later this week.
James, who applied for the role as far back as March and was called for interview before being selected, said: ‘It is our job to make their jobs as easy as possible because they will have enough to do, especially on the nights the festival is broadcast on television, Monday August 18th and Tuesday August 19th.
James Kelleher from Crosshaven has a lot of strings to his bow: He’s a volunteer member of the RNLI and is a manufacturing apprentice specialising in 3-D printing, an occupation that was borne out of the ongoing support of Barry Hayes and Claire Morgan of McWilliams Bags and UK Sail Makers.
In fact, it was on a staff night out that his boss, Barry, whom he started working for as a TY student and then during the pandemic making personal protection equipment, suggested he’d be ideal as an escort.
James, who is better known locally as Griff, was aware that €2,000 sponsorship would be needed but his boss said he would cover the cost. He told The Southern Star: ‘I am buzzing for it.’
As escorts go, James could find himself in the spotlight because he has lots of interesting tales to tell like how his parents, James and Hilary, officially gave him the middle name ‘Griff’ after seeing an utterly charming 26 ft wooden yacht of the same name.
Believe it or not, James, as a teenager, approached the owner and said: ‘If you are ever selling it…’ Turns out, the owner was emigrating and in the interests of good karma signed the vessel over to its namesake free of charge!
Sam Donworth (25) works as a property developer with Longview Estates by day, but in the evenings and weekends he runs his own AI company EvolyAi, which he started around the same time as being selected for the festival.
‘Safe to say, it’s been a busy few months,’ he told The Southern Star. ‘The inspiration to apply came from my mother. She’s always been a huge fan of the festival, and, truth be told, would probably have loved to take part herself if the chance had come along.
‘Growing up, the Rose of Tralee was a fixture in our home. Being chosen as a Rose escort feels like I’m carrying a little piece of her dream with me, and knowing how proud it’s made my parents makes it all the more special.
‘For me, this promises to be the experience of a lifetime.’
