Toronto Rose wins the crown

THE Toronto Rose, Ms Colleen Mooney, was chosen as the 1996 International Rose of Tralee and presented with her crown early this morning at a ceremony in the Festival of Kerry Dome.

Colleen (25) is a part time lifeguard and swimming instructor. She was born in Ontario. Her parents are both from Dublin and she has one sister. She listed basketball and volleyball amongst her sports and she is also involved in rowing at competitive level. She told the judges that she would like to pursue a career in physiotherapy.

Every year Kerry gets a new crop of Roses, all winners. With shining tresses and gleaming teeth, winsome smiles and unstoppable good will, and extended families bursting with pride in support, they came, they enjoyed and they conquered.

And just as everyone loves a winner, they love picking winners even more. So for those uncommitted by county, or country loyalties, there was the joy of picking one's own favourite. On a smile, or the toss of a curl, were supporters' hearts won and lost, for ever perhaps, or at least as long as the 1996 festival lasts.

But did you hear the Queensland rose? Lovely girl, Samantha Andrews, but definitely of the "do as I say not as I do" school, it seems. You heard her quote those lines from the American writer Robert Fulham? He who said: "All I need to know in life I learned at kindergarten."

She was quoted as saying, "What a better world it would be if all had milk and cookies at 3 o'clock every afternoon." Ugh! How could you, Samantha?

It must be reported that she has no belief whatsoever in such rubbish. After all, was she not the very lady The Irish Times admonished at 3.30 a.m. yesterday for not yet being in bed. She went along - pronto, but so much for "cookies" at 3.

Then there were the Byrne, twins, representing South Africa. Samantha was the official rose, but what of Natalie? They are identical. Peas in a pod. Which of them actually represented South Africa - last night was a mystery, but shouldn't be.

After a long conversation with this reporter yesterday, thinking her Samantha all along, did not Natalie drop heavy hints about being the one who would recite "a day in the life of the new South Africa" on TV last night.

And there's Damien O'Reilly from Cavan, escort to Ulster's glorious rose, Rosemary Howden. He frankly admitted being an escort "by the back door", and for the second year running. Surely there should be more stringent regulations to ensure that sort of thing can't happen.