Canada's Ottowa Rose has 'strong links' to Laois town
The Canada Rose going to the International Rose of Tralee in Kerry this August, has strong links to Laois.
Ottawa Rose, Aoife McDonald is one of our own, with her dad Patrick being from Portarlington.
It makes it twice the chances of a Laois woman with North America links becoming the Rose of Tralee this year, with New York native Sinead Dowd the proud Laois Rose.
Sean Fleming TD, Minister of State at the Department of Foreign Affairs has revealed the connections, after he visited Canada last week as part of his ministerial work and met with several members of the Irish community.
"Aoife McDonald is very proud of her family connections in Laois and we will be watching out for her, along with our own Laois Rose, Sinead Dowd, in the Rose of Tralee competition on Monday 21st and Tuesday 22nd of August.
"The visit concluded with the Miramichi Irish Festival and I was glad to be the first Irish Government Minister to attend the event. The town of Miramichi is home to ancestors from all 32 counties of Ireland, all of whom took part in a big parade on the day.
"I also had an interview with Chin Radio, a multicultural broadcasting station in Canada, who played Lovely Laois by Trudi Lalor at the end of their show," Minister Fleming said.