Philippine Ambassador to Ireland Ariel Y. Abadilla hosted a luncheon recently in honor of Filipino-Irish Tara Talbot who was crowned International Rose of Tralee for 2011.

The Rose of Tralee International Festival is one of Ireland's largest and longest running festivals, celebrating 50 years in 2009. The heart of the festival is the selection of the Rose of Tralee which brings young women of Irish descent from around the world to County Kerry,  Ireland for a global celebration of Irish culture.

Ms. Talbot’s father is Irish and her mother Carmencita is a Filipina  from San Miguel, Pangasinan.  She was born in Dublin and moved to  Australia when she was five-years-old.  She is a secondary school  teacher from the Australian State of Queensland which she represented  at the festival.

Ambassador Abadilla expressed the pride of the Filipino community in Ireland for having another Filipino-Irish selected for this  prestigious title.  Ms. Luzveminda O’Sullivan, another Filipino-Irish,  won the title in 1998.

The luncheon at the Ambassador’s residence was the first official function for Ms. Talbot since she was declared Rose of Tralee last  August 23, according to Mr. Steve Cronly, national coordinator for  the Rose of Tralee International Festival.  The luncheon was also attended by Mr. Alan Farrell, a member of Irish Parliament representing Dublin North.

2011 Rose of Tralee Tara Talbot being serenaded by Filcommunity singers Cocoy Pobre and Manolo Auer at luncheon hosted by Ambassador Abadilla