Kelsi Wallace, from Invercargill, claimed the coveted title in 2023 and went on to become the ambassador for New Zealand at the international festival held in Ireland.
Countries from all over the world send a representative and New Zealand has a proud history of taking part.
"Winning the Southland title was very special," Ms Wallace said.
"I felt very honoured to represent Invercargill especially since it was the place where I was exposed to my Irish roots," she said.
Becoming the New Zealand Rose took Ms Wallace to festivals in Ireland andthe United States, which was "very humbling" for her.
"I didn’t realise how big the event was in Ireland.
"It felt really special to have both my Irish heritage and my New Zealand culture on that stage."
Taking part in the St Patrick's Day parade in New York was a surreal moment for her, she said.
She participated in the event with 26 other international Rose women who had won the overall title over the past 50-60 years.
Alongside fulfilling her Rose duties, Ms Wallace has since attained a master’s degree in Irish dancing, or as she put it, "the studies of Irish injury breaks".
"I don’t think many people will have a master’s degree in Irish dancing. It was really amazing that it was my dancing that drove my study and my passion," said Ms Wallace.
Despite her reign as the New Zealand Rose of Tralee coming to an end, she is motivated to help the next Rose as much as possible by travelling around the regions and to stay in touch with the Irish society.
Meadow Bodkin-Allen, 18, said she better understood her Irish heritage since she was crowned the Invercargill 2024 Rose of Tralee representative at last month’s regional competition.
"I’m learning more and my Bodkin name can be traced back for centuries.
"I have my mother’s family down here so it’s started conversations and passing down stories," Ms Bodkin-Allen said.
For Invercargill-born Otago University student Tarrah Shirley, it was the opportunity to learn about her Irish ancestry and meet other people which inspired her to enter the Rose of Tralee.
After winning the Southland title, she was thrilled to go on to represent the region in the nationals.
The Invercargill Irish Society will be hosting the New Zealand Rose of Tralee event in May at the Ascot Park Hotel where the 2024 New Zealand Rose will be announced.
By Nina Tapu
