A BBC sports presenter, a West End singer and a Star Wars star… just some of the talented women who made their made their screen debut on The Rose of Tralee

The Rose of Tralee, Ireland's long-running international festival now in its 67th year, gets under way this weekend with 32 women from Ireland, the UK, Australia, New Zealand, Texas and Toronto competing for the title. The five-day event culminates in the crowning of the winner, who takes on a year-long ambassadorial role, with the final broadcast on RTÉ drawing some of the country's largest television audiences. While the contest has faced criticism over the years as outdated, particularly for the tradition of assigning each contestant an escort, it remains hugely popular and has served as a launchpad into media, politics, academia and entertainment careers for many former participants.

The article profiles several notable former Roses, including BBC sports presenter Gabby Logan, who represented Leeds in 1991 and later told organisers she wanted to work in television before going on to present Final Score and co-host ITV's Splash. Also featured is Anna Geary, Cork Rose in 2014, who went on to captain Cork's All-Ireland-winning camogie team, coach on Ireland's Fittest Family, compete on Dancing with the Stars and become a published author. Aoibhinn Ní Shúilleabháin, crowned Rose of Tralee in 2005, is now an Associate Professor at Dublin City University.