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Westmeath Rose Caoilfhinn Ní Choiligh has been crowned the 2026 Rose of Tralee. She won over the audience in Tralee and viewers at home with her positive attitude toward living with alopecia.
The 25-year-old was named the winner on the second selection night at the Kerry Sports Academy at MTU.
Shortly after her victory, she shared a clear message for young girls: never let anyone diminish your confidence or sparkle. Embrace your imperfections, she urged, because that is exactly what happened to her, and it took time and effort to reclaim that confidence.
Stepping outside her comfort zone, including competing in the festival, served as powerful “exposure therapy” that helped her rediscover herself amid the chaos. She described Irish women as strong and amazing, saying they should never doubt themselves. An emotional person by nature, she wears that quality as a badge of honour.
Emotion is powerful, she said, and something no one should apologise for. When her name was announced, she was left speechless and overwhelmed, unable to hold back tears. Surrounded by her fellow Roses, she said she could not have done any of it without them. The previous winner, Katelyn Cummins (the first Laois Rose to take the title), advised her to savour every moment of this once-in-a-lifetime experience.
In a later interview on RTÉ’s Morning Ireland, Caoilfhinn said she is “on cloud nine.” She is especially grateful for the friendships formed during the festival. She entered hoping to build a support network of “31 amazing new sisters,” and that has been one of the highlights. Alopecia has always been something she spoke about openly. She never hid her condition and routinely told people when she was wearing a wig, wanting to normalise the conversation and show that wigs can look natural and modern.
While she was initially wary of being reduced to “the Rose with the wig,” she chose to own the part of her story that has shaped her. She hoped that by sharing practical tips and simply being visible, she might inspire younger girls starting their own hair-loss journeys.
The festival featured many emotional and memorable moments across both selection nights. On Monday, Cork Rose Lexi Linnane (the youngest contestant) spoke about the support from her county and the loss of her mother. Caoilfhinn tried on her favourite wigs on stage to warm applause.
On Tuesday, highlights included an on-stage haircut for charity, tributes to grandparents and loved ones, and personal stories from the remaining Roses, among them Waterford Rose Cara Comerford (whose grandmother was the 1967 Kerry Rose), Galway Rose Jodie Kenny (who remembered her late mother), and others who shared experiences with arthritis, ulcerative colitis, Irish dancing achievements, and family connections across Ireland and abroad.
After the crowning, Tralee celebrated with “Midnight Madness” as the new Rose made her way into the town centre.
This article was originally published by SnDMedia.
