My name is Lorraine, and I am the 2018 Kentucky Rose. I’m originally from Islandeady, Co. Mayo, and in 2016 I moved to Louisville with my job in Portwest, where I am now the Operations Manager for Portwest USA. I attended Cloggernagh National School and the Sacred Heart School in Westport before studying Applied Languages in the University of Limerick, and a Postgraduate Diploma in International Business Development in the Irish Management Institute in Dublin. I enjoy travelling, and learning about new cultures and societies. I have had the privilege of living in and visiting in many countries, but am so very proud to call Kentucky my new home. Moving away from family and friends was difficult, and it can be hard for them to understand why I would leave home, but it has been very easy for me to stay in Kentucky. The people of Kentucky and Louisville, the extended expat and Irish communities and all of my coworkers, friends and acquaintances have made my time here very special, and made me feel more welcome than I could have imagined. To represent Kentucky as a Rose in Tralee was an indescribable experience, and I was delighted to be able to share my love for Louisville and Kentucky. As the 2018 Rose, I hope to promote this beautiful Bluegrass state as an attractive location for young Irish graduates who are looking for exciting opportunities in their careers. I look forward to the next year and all the exciting times ahead

Meet Martha Mortell, the 2017 Kentucky Rose, who lived in Blarney until she was 13.
The daughter of Paul and Helen, she went to Scoil Iosagain and made her First Holy Communion and Confirmation in the Church of the Immaculate Conception. 
Martha played camogie for Blarney for years, and also rode horses from the age of 5 or 6, learning at the Blarney Riding Centre and then when she got older at Eden Hill in Mallow with Bill O' Callaghan as part of the Duhallow Pony Club. 
In 2010 Martha started secondary school at Scoil Mhuire Gan Smal and during the summer of 2011 her parents, sister, 2 dogs and 2 horses moved to Lexington Kentucky. 
As the 2017 Kentucky Rose Martha will be travelling to Ireland at the start of August and will be there for the Rose of Tralee festival. 
After the festival she will return to Kentucky to start her 3rd year at the University of Kentucky, pursuing a degree in Biochemistry with a minor in mathematics, with the hope of one day attending medical school and becoming a doctor or getting a PhD and be a medical research scientist.

My name is Emily Hughes and I am the 2015 Kentucky Rose.  I was born and raised in Kentucky but have strong Irish roots. I went to the University of Louisville and graduated with an undergraduate’s degree in History. However, after college I wanted to pursue another passion in my life, which is fitness. I am a certified barre and aerial fitness instructor and manage a local fitness studio in Louisville.

My amazing parents left Ireland in order to make a better life for their family, but they have never lost their connection with Ireland. My parents are from County Tyrone and most of our extended family still lives there. Since we have so much family still living in Ireland we try to make the trip across the Atlantic at least once a year to visit. One thing my parents have always taught me is to value my Irish roots and I am so thankful that they did.

I have always loved anything involving Ireland and enjoy sharing my heritage with others, so when I heard about the Rose of Tralee I knew it was an opportunity I couldn’t pass up. I joined the Rose of Tralee in Kentucky because I thought it would be a fun way to make new friends and share my love for Ireland, but little did I know the impact that it would forever hold on my life. 

Hello! My name is Claire Curran and I am the 2014 Kentucky Rose. My Irish connection comes from my great-grandmother who immigrated to the States from County Mayo. Before I was crowned in March of 2014, I worked as a Revenue Program Office for the Kentucky Department of Revenue in Frankfort, Kentucky. I also received my bachelor’s in International Business and Spanish from Murray State University in 2012.

The summer of 2014 was such an exciting time for me. I competed in the regional festival in Portlaoise, Ireland in May and was beyond thrilled and shock to be selected as the first Kentucky representative for the International Rose of Tralee festival in August of that year. I made so many wonderful friends with the other Roses from around the world and was even trending on Ireland’s twitter after my televised stage interview.When I returned to Kentucky, the mayor of Lexington declared August 28th as "Claire Curran Day" in Lexington and Secretary of State Alison Lundergan Grimes named me a Kentucky Colonel. 

Since my reign, I have been accepted to and started my accelerated Bachelor of Science in Nursing degree (BSN) at Northern Kentucky University. I also got engaged to the love of my life, Zack Lawson, in December of 2015 and we plan to get married in the spring of 2017!

My name is Savannah Miller and I was the 2013 Kentucky Rose.  I was born and raised in Louisville, KY and my family traces its ancestry back to Castlebar in County Mayo.  Growing up I was a competitive Irish Dancer and was heavily involved with the local Irish community.

In 2013 I was lucky enough to represent Kentucky in the Rose of Tralee and had the time of my life.  The Rose of Tralee was one of the most amazing experiences and it has allowed me to meet some of my closest, life long friends from all over the world.

I graduated from the University of Kentucky in 2015 with a BA in History and a minor in Anthropology.  In fall 2015 I moved to Ireland to pursue an MA in Museum Studies at the University College Cork.  I feel so blessed to be living in Ireland and am looking forward to all the great times ahead!