Ardee’s Justine McGuirk Given Rousing Send-Off as Louth Rose of Tralee Hopeful

Ardee’s own Justine McGuirk received a heartwarming send-off over the weekend as she prepares to represent Louth in the prestigious Rose of Tralee International Festival. Friends, family, work colleagues, and fellow choristers gathered at the Black Bull in Drogheda for a champagne party to wish Justine well on her journey to Tralee. The event, bathed in glorious August sunshine, was organized by Paula and Charlie Egan in Justine’s honor and featured a lively gathering filled with joy and excitement.

Justine, who proudly calls Ardee home, is flying the flag for the entire Wee County as she heads to Tralee. Her mother, Catherine McGuirk, expressed the pride the entire family feels: “Me and my husband Joe are so proud of her, and it doesn’t matter how she does in the competition; she is having a wonderful time, and the whole county is proud of her too.” Catherine was joined by her other children, Emma and Anthony, in supporting Justine. She added, “Justine is a fabulous Auntie to Emma’s twins, Phoebe and Paige, and we all can’t wait to cheer her on next week.”

The McGuirk family will be heading to Kerry this week, donning their finest attire, to take their place in the front row as Justine takes the stage on either Monday or Tuesday night. “Emma is also going down, and lots of her friends in the Voices of the Boyne choir. We have banners and posters of support, so hopefully, you’ll see us all on telly,” Catherine shared with a laugh. “I said to her she better behave herself in case she wins, and she laughed, saying she’d forgotten it was a competition!”

One special person who will be with Justine in spirit is her late nana, Kathleen McQuillan. “My mother would have been 80 the day Justine was selected as the Louth Rose, and she would have been so proud of her, so we think she had a hand in her being picked,” Catherine reminisced. “Mam was also a big fan of Daithí Ó Sé, so she would love to have been in Tralee to see her on the stage with him.”

The Rose of Tralee will be aired on RTÉ 1 on Monday, August 19th, and Tuesday, August 20th, from 8 pm. Justine’s community is rallying behind her, and the excitement is palpable.

In the lead-up to her big moment, Justine’s supporters are invited to send video messages of encouragement. These will be compiled and shared with her before she takes the stage, offering an extra boost of confidence. Please send your video message via WhatsApp to Clodagh at 085 231 4352.

Let’s come together as a community to show Justine how proud we are and to cheer her on as she represents Louth with grace and pride in Tralee. Your support means the world to her, and this is a wonderful way to let her know that we’re all behind her.