BY NUALA MCALOON
It may have taken 47 years, but, we have finally done it!
At last, we have got a single titled 'Fermanagh Rose' represented in the International Festival Final of the Rose of Tralee.
And that first Rose to go down in the county's history is 20-year-old Aisling Reihill from Donagh.
She was one of six Roses selected from 30, at the Irish Regional Final in Limerick on Sunday night.
The prestigous final is held every year before the Rose of Tralee International Festival to determine which Irish Roses represent their counties at the International Final in August.
She now goes through to the 48th Tralee Festival which will be televised live on RTE One on Monday, 20th and Tuesday, 21st August.
Aisling was chosen alongside Roses from Derry, Limerick, Longford, Westmeath and Wicklow, all of whom will now join the winners from Dublin, Cork and Kerry, to make up a total of nine represented Irish Roses.
An elated, if not emotional Aisling, arrived home in Donagh on Monday evening where she was greeted by a large gathering of family, friends, fellow footballers and well-wishers, all of whom were waving flags and banners in a carnival-style atmosphere. This was after she was paraded in a convertible car through the nearby towns of Newtownbutler and Lisnaskea.
The youngest in a family of four, Aisling is a daughter of Una and Cathal, and a sister to Sinead, Ciaran and Orla.
She is a second-year physiotherapy student at the University of Ulster, Jordanstown, Aisling also works part-time in Argos and is a fully-fledged Gael, who plays wing-half back for St. Patrick's GFC.
She was crowned Fermanagh Rose in early May after a successfully co-ordinated event was organised by Lisnaskea lady, Catriona McGorman.
Speaking to the 'Herald' yesterday (Tuesday) morning after her homecoming party, Aisling said she was still in shock that she was not only going through to the International Final but that she was the first Fermanagh Rose to have made it through.
"It is still sinking in. People kept asking me was I the 'Ulster Rose', but it is great because this is the first time there has been a single Fermanagh Rose."
The fact that she is the first county Rose to be represented at Tralee is all the more poignant as Aisling grew up watching the show since she was a child.
"To be the first Fermanagh Rose is so surreal. Even the next morning, I couldn't take it in and it wasn't until I was coming home in the car when I had a bit of time to think and I remembered how we used to watch it and pick our favourites and say: 'I like her', and now to think that that is going to be me.
"I have grown up watching the show and we actually joked about it because Ray D'Arcy asked me what my earliest memory was and I said that the two shows Daddy also let us stay up late for was the Eurovision and the Rose of Tralee."
Aisling travelled to Limerick last Thursday where, over the Bank Holiday weekend she 'was treated like royalty'.
She met host Ray D'Arcy on Sunday morning and then took to the stage on Sunday night for her interview.
"He was really nice, he was having a laugh with all the girls and it was very relaxed. He asked about Fermanagh and who all was coming. I told him how small Donagh was but that they could make a lot of noise. About 30 people travelled down with me and they had so many banners and flags.
"I was second last on stage and then there was an interval and entertainment when the judges were making their decision. When they came back, they picked the one international Rose to make it through from our final and then I was the first girl to be picked from the 30. I was so shocked.
"Afterwards, there was a champagne reception and Ray said: 'Aisling you looked so surprised' but I really was."
On the night, Aisling was crowned with a tiara and presented with flowers and a cheque for 1,000 euro.
Now honoured to be representing her county, a modest Aisling is looking forward to the main event.
"It is great that I have made it this far, but I am not really one who will be going down there looking to win it. I am just so happy that I have made history here and I am going to go down and enjoy it."
Meanwhile, St. Patrick's GFC extended their best wishes to Aisling this week.
"The club would like to congratulate Ashling on qualifying for this year's Rose of Tralee. The club are very proud of her achievement and wish Aisling all the best in the finals."
