The Regional Finals are held every year before the Rose of Tralee International Festival to determine which Irish, American, Canadian, British, Rest of the World Roses will represent their territories at the International Festival in August.

The event was originally established in 2005 in recognition of the fact that now every county in Ireland selects a Rose, and that there are now nearly 70 Rose Centres around the world. The Regional Finals is therefore the event that has been established to get this number of Roses down to the 32 Roses that appear on the RTÉ television show in August.

All Roses who take part have won Rose Selection heats in their own regions. Judges at the Regional Finals will choose a number of Roses from each region who will then join Roses from Cork, Dublin, Kerry, London, Australia and New Zealand at the International Festival in August.

The 2011 Regional Finals will be held at the Portlaoise Heritage Hotel from Thursday 2nd to Monday 6th June.

The host for three nights of Regional Final Rose Selection, is RTÉ Rose of Tralee TV Show host Dáithí Ó Sé.

IRISH REGIONAL FINAL 2011 - PROGRAMME OF EVENTS 

Thursday 2nd June 2011

International Roses arrive at  Portlaoise Heritage Hotel

Friday 3rd June 2011

Irish Roses arrive at Portlaoise Heritage Hotel

Some Roses visit local attractions

All Roses at Reception at Civic Plaza with Mayor of Portlaoise and Rosebuds

Roses visit local attractions

Dinner at entertainment for Roses at the Maldron Hotel

Saturday 4th June 2011

Roses visit local attractions

Roses lunch at the Killeshin Hotel

All Roses take part in vintage car parade around Portlaoise town followed by entertainment at the Civic Plaza

Regional Final Selection Night 1 at the Portlaoise Heritage Hotel

Sunday 5th June 2011

All Roses attend Mass

Roses lunch at the Abbeyleix Hotel

Roses visit local attractions in Abbeyleix

Regional Final Selection Night 2 at the Portlaoise Heritage Hotel

 

Monday 6th June

Some Roses visit local attractions in Portlaoise

Regional Final Selection Night 3 at the Portlaoise Heritage Hotel and announcement of all Regional Winning Roses
 

Accommodation is recommended at the following hotels:

Portlaoise Heritage Hotel
Town Centre
Portlaoise, Co. Laois
Tel:    + 353 (0) 57 8678588
Fax:   + 353 (0) 57 8671999
Email:   res@theheritagehotel.com 
Web:   www.theheritagehotel.com

€119.00 Room Only per room, per night
€189.00 per person sharing for 3 nights Bed & Breakfast with Dinner on one evening
(There is a 3 night minimum stay requirement for that weekend for both rate options)
 

Abbeyleix Manor Hotel
Cork Road,
Abbeyleix,
Co. Laois
Tel:   +353 (0)57 8730111
Fax:   +353 (0)57 8730220
E-mail:  info@abbeyleixmanorhotel.com
Website: www.abbeyleixmanorhotel.com

Thursday 2nd June:
Double/Twin: €69 Bed & Breakfast
Single: €59 Bed & Breakfast
 
Friday 3rd June:
Hotel Currently Fully Booked
 
Saturday 4th June:
Double/Twin: €79 Bed & Breakfast
Single: €69 Bed & Breakfast
Limited Availability 
 

The Killeshin Hotel
Dublin Road,
Portlaoise,
Co. Laois
Tel:   + 353 (0)57 8631200
Fax:  + 353 (0)57 8631205
E-mail:  res@thekilleshin.com
Website: www.thekilleshin.com

The Reservations Department
Theresa Fennelly
Tel: 057 86 31203

                                     B & B               Dinner, B & B
1 night Stay                     €55                   €80      
2 night Stay                   €105                 €145
3 night Stay                   €150                 €205
4 night Stay                   €190                 €260
The above rates are per person sharing and are inclusive of full Irish breakfast each morning
A single supplement of €20 per night would apply

 

Maldron Hotel Portlaoise
Midway
Abbeyleix Road
Portlaoise, Co. Laois
Tel:        + 353 (0)57 869 5900
Fax:       + 353 (0)57 869 5901
E-mail:  mafearon@maldronhotels.com
Website: www.maldronhotelportlaoise.com    
  
One night Bed and Breakfast Special €109.00 for two persons sharing
Two nights BB and One Evening Meal for €119.00 per person sharing
We are also running our Bank holiday weekend offer, stay 2 nights get the third free