Fil-Irish teacher crowned 'Rose of Tralee' in Ireland

Tara Talbot, a 27-year-old Filipina-Irish school teacher in Australia, bested over 30 candidates in an international beauty pageant, the "Rose of Tralee," among young women of Irish descent. Born to a Filipina mother and an Irish father, Talbot was crowned the 2011 Rose of Tralee on the finals night on August 22, according to a report of "RTE News." "I was completely overwhelmed and shocked and honored to represent the 31 other girls on stage with me," Talbot was quoted as saying in the report. Talbot was born in Dublin, Ireland but has lived in Australia for most of her life. "My father is from Dublin and my mother is actually from the Philippines... We moved to Autsralia when I was five years old. Certainly [there have been] a few different cultures that I've experienced in my life," Talbot told RTE News. The report also quoted Talbot's mother as saying, ""I'm very proud of her. She's a good girl and everybody in the Philippines and also Australia is very proud of her." Talbot is the 53rd Rose of Tralee. The RTE report said Talbot intends to go back to Australia before committing to work full-time as an ambassador for the festival. Australia's Irish newspaper Irish Echo said Talbot is a school teacher taking her masters in marketing and is a member of the Queensland Irish Association. Rose of Tralee The Rose of Tralee website said the international festival is "one of Ireland's largest and longest running festivals, celebrating 50 years in 2009."' Tralee is the county town of Count Kerry in southwest Ireland. "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," the website added. Aside from the beauty pageant, the festival also includes street entertainment, carnival rides, live concerts, circus, and the famous Rose Parade, among others. - VVP, GMA News / Photo courtesy of Rose of Tralee website