Rose from South Australia with roundabout link to the Ould Sod

Every year they travel from the four corners of the world to the Rose of Tralee Festival and they say they feel like they are coming home.

They arrive from the US and Australia and tell stories of how their ancestors left Ireland many generations ago, insisting they have now come back to claim their heritage.

They tell a few jokes just to remind the judges that they are great craic. And then give us a little jig, or a quick blast of the harp or the tin whistle, or belt out a few bars of a ballad from the Ould Sod.

But at least one contestant in this year's festival is going to be a little different.

Ms Aimee Butler, from Adelaide, is this year's South Australian Rose. Her voyage of discovery, her homecoming, is already in her past. When she stands on stage in the Dome in Tralee this weekend being quizzed by Marty Whelan, rest assured hers will be an interesting story.

Aimee was born in Taiwan 21 years ago, and like most adoptees, did not know her birth mother when growing up. Her birth mother was unmarried when she became pregnant and she gave Aimee up for adoption to an agency specialising in placing children with families overseas.

Aimee was adopted by Ian and Susan Butler, from Adelaide, who both trace their roots back to Ireland. Until 1998, she had considered them her parents. She had never met or heard from her birth mother, and did not know if she was alive. But three years ago her birth mother, Ms Yen Kan, appeared in her life.

She had asked an Australian journalist, Ian Hyslop, to help find her daughter. Eventually he tracked her down.

"When it happened I just remember that I was so, so shocked," Aimee said.

After making contact, a reunion was organised in Taipei, Taiwan. The reunion with her birth mother was also a personal milestone. "When I met her I could see the sadness in her eyes, I could see the regret," Aimee says of the reunion.

"But, you know, I wanted to comfort her to let her know that things had been good for me . . . I was almost glad that she gave me up because I have been blessed so much with my parents in Australia and I love them so much."

As well as the reunion with her birth mother, she was also put in contact with her natural father. Aimee also discovered she has a half-brother and had a twin sister who died at birth. She still keeps in touch with her Taiwan family.

Aimee is an actress, having appeared on stage and on TV. More immediately, though, is the Rose of Tralee. Work commitments will prevent Susan and Ian Butler from travelling to Ireland with her, but she says they will be in her thoughts.