The 32 men selected as official Rose Escorts for the 2026 Rose of Tralee International Festival have completed a demanding bootcamp weekend in County Kerry.
Surfing sessions at Maharees, teamwork challenges and practical tests formed part of a packed programme designed to assess the skills and character of the successful applicants.
Cork and Dublin each supplied four of the 32 successful candidates, making them the most represented counties in this year's group. Teaching emerged as the most common profession among those selected.
The annual Rose Escort Bootcamp began at the Meadowlands Hotel in Tralee, where the finalists gathered before embarking on a series of activities across the county.
Among the highlights was a surfing session at Maharees in West Kerry with Jamie Knox Surf School. Challenging Atlantic conditions produced plenty of wipe-outs and laughter as participants tested their balance and determination in the waves.
The bootcamp is a longstanding feature of the Rose of Tralee selection process. It gives organisers an opportunity to assess candidates in a range of situations while encouraging teamwork and camaraderie among the group.
The successful 32 were selected following a competitive application process involving hundreds of hopefuls from across Ireland and overseas.
The chosen escorts will now prepare for their role at the 2026 Rose of Tralee International Festival, where they will accompany Roses throughout the event programme in August.
