2019 Rose Of Tralee Winner Finally Free After 3-Year Nightmare

AS the Rose Of Tralee makes a triumphant return following a two-year Covid hiatus, the last woman to win the prestigious title opened up to WWN about how her planned 12-month reign evolved into a three-year nightmare that she’s ‘delighted to see the back of’.

“I was of course delighted to win in 2019, and had a great time as an ambassador for both Tralee itself and the competition… for the first six months anyway,” said a relieved Caroline Muskansky, the Bronx Rose who wowed judges in 2019 with her rendition of Wu Tang Clan ‘Ain’t Nuthin Ta Fuck With’.

“By 2020, the thrill of the worldwide Rose Of Tralee events and appearances was starting to wane a bit, but I knew I could struggle through until July. Then boom; the pandemic hit. The Rose Of Tralee people couldn’t afford to be without a Rose despite not running a competition due to lockdown, so all of a sudden I’m doing full-gúna and crown Zoom appearances for businesses, nursing homes, schools, the works! Every day for a year straight”.

Muskansky claims that while she willingly went along with her extended duties well into 2021 (including a heartfelt farewell video message to Fungi, the second most famous Kerry attraction), the ongoing pandemic also cancelled that year’s trip to the dome and she ‘just fuckin’ cracked, man’.

“I told them, either you take this crown back from me or I eat it, how was I to know the small print said ‘if pandemic hits you could be reigning Rose until end of time’,” said Muskansky, entering her first week in over three years where she won’t be asked to smile and curtsy.

“They calmed me down and I stayed on until this week, but I made damned sure I didn’t do the weekly check-in calls with Dáithí. No harm to the man, but Jesus Christ”.