Navan man"s Rose wins in Tralee

Navan man John Finegan"s experience as a Rose of Tralee escort last week was made even better on Tuesday night last when the Rose he was accompanying, Tipperary"s Aoife Kelly, was named as the 2008 winner. 'I knew she was in with a chance of winning - she was one of four that definitely deserved to win,' John, an energy engineer with Dun Laoghaire firm RPS Consultants, says. Escorts were paired off with Roses that had similar interests. 'We hadn"t that much in common,' John says. 'Although Aoife does play football and also works in Dun Laoghaire, at the National Rehabilitation Hospital.' John plays junior football with Seneschalstown, and recently moved from Navan to Lansdowne Rugby Club, as he now lives in Ballsbridge. But they got on fine together, and had great fun from the Friday to Wednesday when they finished off the festival with media interviews. John, from Ardmulchan, had intended to apply as an escort for many years, but summer work commitments didn"t allow. This year, his new employers said they would give him the time off if he was one of the 31 escorts selected, and were true to their word. He organised a table quiz and fundraising event at his family farm barn to raise the €1,000 needed. It was Tipperary"s first time to have an entrant, and the International Rose will have a busy year, she is marrying South African Leon De Klerk later this year.