The tour group from Fermoy, all 44 of them, were beside themselves with excitement. Wasn't it the luck of God the bad weather had prompted them to divert from their intended day trip to Tramore and visit the Waterford Crystal factory instead?
As they came down the steps of the visitor centre yesterday they ran into the entire line-up of 32 Rose of Tralee contestants, all bonneted, besashed and dolled up in their finery for a brief stopover in Waterford.
Somebody got wind that southern California's mother was a Fermoy woman. The word spread like wildfire, and the group homed in on Saroj Verma like bees to a pot of honey. Sure, wasn't she one of their own, and wasn't she gorgeous?
The self-possessed young woman, whose father is Kashmiri, spent the next half-hour signing autographs, shaking hands and having her pedigree dissected in the friendliest possible fashion.
She handled it all like a true professional: "Yes, Morgan's my uncle; Valerie's my cousin, and I know Michelle. Will you tell Valerie I said `Hi'?"
Earlier the Roses had completed their own tour of the Waterford plant, where the elaborate crystal trophy for the contest winner is crafted. It was the first time all the candidates have visited Waterford en route to Tralee, and the red carpet was laid out for them, with a gala banquet last night.
The girls entered into the spirit of the visit with the well-practised poise which each one hopes will bring her the supreme accolade in Tralee. They accepted the wolf whistles graciously. In the glassblowing section, beside furnaces glowing at 1,400 Celsius, New Zealand (Michelle Mulholland) hopped up on the working platform to test her lungs and lips at fashioning a molten flask.
Texas and New York elicited an enthusiastic "Wah-hoo" in the cutting department. Boston and New England took photographs, while Chicago did a quick repair job on Dublin's slipping sash.
Sydney (Yvette McLoghry) sashayed along with a suspicious alertness, and confirmed rumours that back home she had been working for four years as an undercover cop. Yes, she carried a gun on duty. What age was she? "Twenty-five. I'm the old bag here," she laughed.
Most of the lissom line-up seemed little more than teenagers. Melbourne (Emily Elliott) looked about 16, but admitted to 20. She peered at an elegant trophy being completed by a skilled engraver for Waterford Golf Club's golfer of the year award: "My dad would love that," she sighed.
They gazed at an ornate glass slipper, but nobody volunteered to try it on. Nor was the wistful offer of one factory worker taken up: "Are they looking for any spare escorts?" he inquired.
At lunch, the company's sales and marketing director, Mr John Foley, reminded them that Waterford Crystal had been associated with the Rose Festival for more than 30 years as one of its major sponsors.
Today, the candidates will visit the fairy-tale Lismore Castle for yet more photocalls before journeying on for the serious business in the capital of the Kingdom.