Rose picked amid tough competition

JOHN KIRK-ANDERSON/The Press

ANY OTHER NAME: Contestants in the Rose of Tralee competition, Alice McArthur, Elizabeth Dawe, Rachel Walsh, Amy Roach, and Eve Everard.

Irish eyes were smiling in Christchurch on Saturday with the crowning of the Canterbury Rose of Tralee, Amy Roach.

Roach will compete in the national finals in Wellington in June. The winner will represent New Zealand at the world festival in Ireland this August.

Five roses, Alice McArthur, left, Elizabeth Dawe, Rachel Walsh, Roach and Eve Everard competed for the Canterbury crown on Saturday night.

"It's a real honour to win," Roach said. "I've always spoken to my grandfather about my Irish heritage and I'm very happy."

Roach, who is training to be a secondary school teacher, stood out after her performance of an old Irish poem.

"I'm going to have to step up now because the level of competition is going to be higher (in Wellington)."

- © Fairfax NZ News