Tipperary woman Tara Brady will be flying the flag for UL as well as her county this week, as she prepares to grace the stage at the 2024 Rose of Tralee festival.
Tara, 23, who is currently studying for her Masters in Public History and Cultural Heritage in the Faculty of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences at UL, will complete a lifelong dream as she dons the sash as the Tipperary Rose.
“It has been the most fantastic experience so far,” says the Ballina native. “It’s a celebration of cultural heritage and of Irish women, and that’s something I would be particularly interested in.”
Tara has always had a passion for history, something she traces back to a family holiday in Spain when she was seven. When her mother compared a blue bottle of water served up at a restaurant to that of Biddy Early in the famous Irish tale, her curiosity was piqued.
“From that moment on, I remember being interested in folklore, heritage, history. Where I am in Tipperary is on the border with Clare and 51ɫ, and so Feakle – where Biddy was from – wouldn't be a million miles away from me.”
Having nurtured that love of history over the years, Tara’s choice of undergraduate degree – History and English at UL – was a natural progression. As an Irish dancer, dancing competitively all her life, she embraced the opportunity to also study Irish Music and Dance in first year.
Tara says she thoroughly enjoyed her undergraduate years, despite the disruption of the pandemic, with a highlight being a period spent studying abroad in third year, as part of an academic scholarship to Bridgewater State University.
“It wasn't the easiest time to travel, but that was the most fantastic experience, to get to study in an American college … We were given the opportunity to take whatever classes we wanted, the social life was great, and there was a great camaraderie with all the international students. I’ll never forget that, and it's all thanks to UL that it was able to happen.”
The combination of her degree along with an ongoing internship with Mac Conmara Heritage Consultancy has helped Tara to find her niche in local heritage.
“We get to carry out interviews with the more elderly generation, record their memories. I really enjoy that part of it because it really captures the essence of Irish history. Irish people are born storytellers, and that's the most important part of history for me: the human side of it.”
With hopes to pursue a career in this industry, continuing her studies in UL with the MA in Public History and Cultural Heritage was a no-brainer for Tara.
“It suits so much because it's directly associated with what we do with the heritage consultancy – dealing with communities and working together to write history. And I think there's definitely space for people in the community to get involved and help write history together, with the guidance of somebody who's trained in history.”
Looking ahead, Tara admits she would love to develop her career with the company over the next few years. She also hopes to build on the success to date with her all-female Irish traditional band, Cailíní Lua, who recently appeared on The Ray Darcy Show and have drawn audiences in the States, Scandinavia and Qatar.
“We've been at it for a long time, since we were in school, and it's only now that we're starting to see opportunities. We had no connections to the music world; we have no manager – we've done it all by ourselves.”
Tara brings many talents to the band; not only does she sing and step-dance, but she also plays the bodhrán – and another very special instrument: the spoons.
“It’s an old Irish tradition. My grandmother taught me a couple of years ago, and I really enjoy it because it's a little bit unusual. It's a tradition that would generally be performed by the older generation, so I like to do it as someone from the younger generation,” explains Tara.
Whether or not the spoons make an appearance in the Rose of Tralee or not remains to be seen, but one thing is certain: Tara will honour the tradition of the festival with pride.
“I think it's fair to say it's a part of a lot of young girls’ lives growing up in Ireland … Even now, when you say to people ‘I’m in the Rose of Tralee this year’, it resonates with everyone. Everyone grew up with it, everyone knows about us, and it's a part of Irish culture and Irish life.
“It's very overwhelming in a way, but it's been an absolute honour so far to represent my county on an international level.”
There to cheer her on every step of the way will be her family: her parents, Anne and Enda, and her older brother, Jack, who is about to fulfil his own lifelong goal of becoming a full-time professional footballer with Galway United. Tara credits her parents’ support and dedication with giving them both the opportunity to pursue their dreams.
“Growing up, Dad would be taking Jack to matches, Mam would be taking me to feis, passing each other out the door,” she says.
“They didn’t want us to know any of [the sacrifices]; all they wanted us to know was that you can have the opportunity to Irish dance and play football if that's what you want.”
Excited for the opportunities ahead, Tara is eager to thank all those who brought her dreams to reality.
“The support I've had so far has been remarkable. It’s beyond words, but all I can say is that I will carry it with me for the rest of my life. I'll never forget the people who supported me and who helped me to this point.”