Glanworth and Ballydesmond will have a special interest in this year’s Rose of Tralee, with strong North Cork connections among the 32 Roses taking part in the 2026 festival.
The two North Cork communities are linked to Roses representing Perth and San Francisco, with their stories stretching from Cork to Western Australia and the Irish-American community on the west coast of the United States.
The annual Rose Tour got underway this week ahead of the live televised Rose of Tralee Festival in Tralee, with the 32 Roses now beginning their journey towards the Dome later this month.
Among them is 2026 Perth Rose Anna Clancy, who has strong connections to Glanworth.
Clancy, 28, is originally from Cork and is currently living in Perth, Western Australia. She moved to Australia after studying medicine at University College Cork and working as a doctor in Galway.
She returned to Ireland on Monday, August 3, with her Rose journey including a homecoming in Glanworth and the surrounding area as she prepares to represent Perth and Western Australia.
Clancy has received considerable local support during her visit, with Cork businesses helping her prepare for the Rose Tour. Vanilla and Hickeys have sponsored dresses for her, while Mellerick’s Pharmacy has also provided support. Offaly designer Geraldine O’Meara has contributed another dress.
Clancy has embraced life in Western Australia, combining her medical career with an active lifestyle including tennis, reading and swimming. She has also spoken about the importance of the Irish community in helping her settle into life in Perth.
Her involvement in the Rose of Tralee provides a strong link between Glanworth, Cork and the Irish community in Western Australia.
There is a second North Cork connection among this year’s Roses, with Ballydesmond featuring in the family story of Sarah Johnston, the 2026 San Francisco Rose.
Johnston, 24, is from San Mateo, California, and represents the San Francisco Irish-American community at this year’s festival.
She studied Environmental Design at the University of Colorado, Boulder, and works in her family’s restaurant, Johnston’s Saltbox, in San Carlos, California.
Her Irish family connections stretch across counties Derry and Cork, with relatives from Portstewart, Toomebridge and Glenullin in County Derry, as well as Ballydesmond in North Cork.
That connection places Ballydesmond firmly within this year’s Rose of Tralee story, linking the North Cork village with the Irish-American community in San Francisco.
Johnston has spoken about the strength of Irish connections around the world and the unexpected links that can emerge through the Irish diaspora.
Away from her professional life and the Rose of Tralee, she enjoys golf, travelling and hiking with her golden retriever, Doc.
With Glanworth connected to the Perth Rose and Ballydesmond forming part of the San Francisco Rose’s Irish family heritage, there will be plenty of local interest as the 2026 festival unfolds.
The 32 Roses are now beginning their journey towards the Dome in Tralee, with the televised festival set to bring their stories to audiences across Ireland and around the world.