CLARE flags will be flying at the Rose of Tralee this August but in support of an area outside the Banner County.
Newmarket-on-Fergus native, Sarah McInerney will be representing Ohio in the international festival which for the past two years has not taken place due to COVID-19. Limerick’s Sineád Flanagan was crowned the Rose of Tralee in 2019 on the occasion of the sixtieth festival.
On Saturday, the Ohio Rose Centre announced that the Ballycar woman would be Ohio’s representative in the Rose of Tralee after 2020 Rose, Christine Smyth was unable to partake this year due to other commitments.
Sarah has recently received her PhD in Biomimicry from the University of Akron. Her interest in conservation has led to focusing her career on promoting environmentally sustainable behaviour through education and innovation by looking to nature for inspiration.
Outside of work, Sarah plays gaelic football and camogie, enjoys horse-riding and rock-climbing and exploring the beautiful Ohio Metroparks.
Before moving to Ohio, Sarah was an active member of both the camogie and ladies football club in Newmarket-on-Fergus, winning several underage championships at U12, U14, U16 and minor level on the camogie field for the Blues.
Taking to the Dome in Tralee this summer will also give Sarah the opportunity to return home for the first time in two years where she will receive the warmest of welcomes from her parents Denise and Bob and older siblings Jeff and Aimee.
In 2013, Marie Donnellan also from Newmarket-on-Fergus became the first Rose of Clare since 2006 to make it to the Rose of Tralee International Festival with Victoria O’Connell of Kilrush appearing in the 2019 festival.
