Ciaran Forsyth, Rose Escort to Ireland for Some Charming

Taranaki man Ciaran Forsyth, 26, has been chosen to escort the New Zealand Rose of Tralee to Ireland in August, the first New Zealander to be selected for the male side of the international competition.

“The Irish lads tell me that being selected to be an escort for the Roses is like a Kiwi kid growing up and being picked for the All Blacks,” Forsyth said.

The Rose of Tralee is a beauty contest open to anyone of Irish heritage. Forsyth will take care of a finalist, escort them on stage, make sure their family is in the right place at the right time and try to keep the luck of the Irish on his side.

“I’ll be there to be a charmer. I will be the winner, for sure.”

Last year he was in Ireland during the competition and was invited by his friend and former Taranaki and New Zealand rose Alana Marshall to come to Tralee for the grand final.

“It was quite funny actually because the town really stops for this.

“You’d be in a pub and there’d be 200 drunk Irish guys trying to keep everyone quiet so they could watch a beauty pageant on television.”

Original article by Taryn Utiger, Taranaki Daily News, July 16, 2014.

Photo by Rose of Tralee.