WEATHER PRESENTER and continuity announcer Daithí Ó Sé has been selected as the 11th host of the Rose of Tralee contest.
The first Kerryman to compere the Kerry-based extravaganza, he succeeds radio broadcaster Ray D’Arcy, who presented the competition on RTÉ television for five years from 2004 to 2009.
Mr Ó Sé, who chaired last year’s judging panel, will interview 31 roses over the two nights of the competition. It will be broadcast live on Monday, August 23rd and Tuesday, August 24th on RTÉ 1.
The Rose of Tralee festival has been running for 51 years and according to RTÉ, last year some 885,000 viewers watched the competition on TV.
Mr Ó Sé said the contest was “a show I’ve watched all my life and a festival I’ve worked with for a good few years. Last year, I had the pleasure of being the chair of the judging panel, so to return this year as the presenter will be a different and exciting experience.”
Managing director of the festival Anthony O’Gara said “Ray has been a wonderful presenter of the televised festival selection over the past five years and we believe that Daithí will be equally skilled and effective in the role. And he’s from Kerry: What more could we ask for?”