Two Philly Roses: Maria Walsh and her successor, Mairead Comaskey.
Like more than a few young girls whose parents came from Ireland, Mairead Comaskey of Malvern grew up watching the International Rose of Tralee pageant, Ireland’s version of Miss America and one of the highest rated shows on Irish television.
“I used to think, oh the girls are so pretty, I want to be like that,” recalls the 27-year-old culture specialist at Vanguard Group. “Then when you’d hear what the Roses have done. . .they are impressive people. I thought, I’d like to get to know some of them.”
When she was in high school, she got her wish. She met 2004 Philadelphia Rose of Tralee Sinead De Roiste, herself the daughter of an Irish immigrant. “She told me that I should enter and I thought, oh, she’s crazy,” laughs Mairead. “But she planted the idea.”
Mairead entered the competition for the first time when she was a college sophomore in 2007; that year’s winner was Colleen Gallagher. “I met such really nice girls that year and I realized it was all about the camaraderie. I thought, ‘I have to do this again,’” she says.
It took her about eight years to give it a second go. “I was nervous for a few years,” she confesses with a laugh. But the wait may have been the charm. On March 7 at the Radnor Hotel, Mairead, a tall, dark-haired woman with the lean body of a runner, was selected to represent Philadelphia in the Rose of Tralee regional festival in late May in Portlaoise, County Laois. See photos below. If she wins there, she’ll compete this summer in the International Festival, the one she’s been watching since she was a little girl. She follows Maria Walsh, the Philly Rose who was chosen the 2014 International Rose of Tralee. She’s one of the Roses Mairead has been most anxious to meet.
“She’s one of the most loved international Roses in a long time and I’m delighted to get to know her and be alongside her for the rest of this year,” she says.
Mairead Comaskey is one of seven children of Mickey and Breda Comaskey. Mickey, owner of Carnagh Construction, emigrated to the US from Mullhoran, County Cavan; Breda, a sales rep for Nerium, a cosmetics company, came from Letterkenny, County Donegal. “My parents met here, then my mom went back to Ireland so they were apart for a year before they got married,” says Mairead. She has five sisters—four of whom were there the night she was crowned—and one brother.
The child of immigrants doesn’t live far from home (Philadelphia), but she has the traveling bug—something she’ll get to indulge if she’s chosen the international Rose: Since last summer Maria Walsh has traveled all over the US, Ireland, parts of Europe, Chernobyl, India, and is headed to Australia.
“I started when I was 16, traveling independently as an exchange student and I got hooked on it,” says Mairead. She majored in international studies at Arcadia University which is known for its study abroad programs. While a student there, she spent time in London, Taiwan, and the Netherlands. She also lived in South Africa “where I did all kinds of outdoorsy things and learned how to surf.” She also worked for two summers for the Jesuit Refugee Service (JRS) in Ireland. JRS works with refugees and people who have been forced from their native lands.
She thinks her world traveling, experience and the benefit of a few years made the difference in her win this year. “The idea of following Maria gives me a little stage fright,” she says with a laugh, “but I’m really confident about who I am so I’m looking forward to a great year.”
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