The Rose of Tralee have announced a number of changes for the 2022 event.
The international festival will now “welcome” anyone who identifies as a woman and for the first time in its 62-year history, married women can enter.
The age limit for contestants has also been extended from 28 to 29.
Executive chair Anthony O’Gara told The Kerryman: “In case there is any doubt we never said that transgender people could not take part.”
“We weren’t clear enough about it before. Now we’re being proactive and stating clearly that the Rose of Tralee is open to all people who identify as women.”
“This isn’t a change of policy, it’s clarifying our existing policy,” he added.
Speaking about the new rules, host Dáithí Ó Sé said: “It’s great news and will be very welcome, I’d say. The Rose of Tralee is there for everyone and that’s the way it should be.”
Next year’s Rose of Tralee is set to be held at the Munster Technological University instead of the Dome marquee.
Anthony O’Gara said: “The ‘Dome’ is great craic and it’s a tradition, but it is extremely expensive and every year it leaves us with a €100,000 hole in our finances. In simple terms, that doesn’t add up.”
