Rose of Tralee 2025, Katelyn Cummins.RollingNews.ie
The Laois woman nabbed the title in 2025 and has had a whirlwind journey over the past 12 months, including a stint on "Dancing With The Stars", which saw her lift the Glitterball trophy alongside partner Leonardo Lini.
Other highlights from her time in the spotlight include her charity work, but with a new winner on the horizon, Katelyn has some sage advice for the next Rose.
She told EVOKE that she carried out an incredible 257 engagements over the past 12 months but urges the 2026 Rose to follow their own path and not put themselves under pressure to say yes to everything.
The most important advice she can give is to pass on what the 2024 winner, Keely O'Grady from New Zealand, said to her, and that's to make the role their own.
Speaking at the launch of the RTÉ Concert Orchestra Autumn/Winter schedule at the National Concert Hall, she said: 'I think I will reciprocate what last year’s Rose of Tralee said to me: "Make the year your own and do whatever you can.
"You don’t have to say yes to absolutely everything, you don’t have to say no to absolutely everything, you can make the role your own, and you can do whatever you desire to do yourself.
"I think because of the opportunities I was given, I was able to say yes to so many, and that is what I set out to do from the moment I got selected."
As for Katelyn, she admits that she's feeling very emotional over the prospect of passing on her crown.
"I’m feeling very sentimental, and it’s very bittersweet. I’m really, really looking forward to seeing who the next girl will be and what she’s going to do with the opportunity and what she’s going to be faced with after winning.
"It’s definitely very emotional at this time of the year… I’ve met a lot of the girls, and the girls this year are incredible; there’s an amazing bunch of them.
"They are very supportive, very enthusiastic, so I’m excited to see them but definitely emotional about the whole thing coming to an end and not knowing what life is going to look like the week after."
* Originally published on Evoke.ie.