Cavan Rose Tara Rogers says the Rose of Tralee has been a welcome distraction from the nerves of awaiting her Leaving Certificate results.
The 22-year-old returned to secondary school this year to study Irish in order to be able to fulfil her dream job of becoming a primary school teacher.
She told Irish Daily Mirror: "I studied music and geography in DCU, in St. Pat’s. Hopefully, I will study for a masters in primary school teaching.
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"I took a year out to study honours Irish because I had an Irish exemption when I was in school.”
Tara admitted it was ‘tough’ to go back and sit the exams, especially alongside her baby brother.
She explained: "I sat the Leaving Cert again in June and it was tough because my little brother was the one beside me. He was looking at me, nearly looking for the answers at one stage."
"I had no Irish at all so it was definitely hard to go back and sit the higher level paper. Please God, I will get good results come September."
Tara said the busy Rose of Tralee experience has helped her nerves, adding: "This is taking my mind off the results.
But she said the main reason she is involved is to make her and her boyfriend’s grandparents proud, after they encouraged her to take part.
"It is something I have always thought about doing,” she said. When you are young it is the last thing that is on the television before you go back to school.
"When I met my boyfriend’s granny for the first time, nearly six years ago now, she said ‘That girl should be on the Rose of Tralee’.
"My friend started my application for me and then I said ‘Why not? Let’s see how I get on.’ I was delighted to be chosen as the Cavan Rose and hopefully I will make them proud."
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