By Michelle Crean 

A deal to televise the Rose of Tralee live on RTÉ this August has been agreed between festival organisers and Munster Technological University.

A venue hire agreement has been signed for one year for the use of the Kerry Sports Academy for a number of events at the North Campus in Tralee from Friday August 19 to Tuesday 23, including the live televised shows to be broadcast on RTE on the Monday and Tuesday evenings, August 22 and 23.

Announcing the one-year venue hire agreement in Kerry today, MTU President Prof. Maggie Cusack commented:

“The Kerry Sports Academy is a state-of-the-art facility and an asset to Tralee and the surrounding region. This is an opportunity to showcase our fantastic venue for a major event that is of such significance to Tralee. MTU has a statutory function to develop and promote strong social and cultural links with the communities in which it is located, and in doing so to respect the diversity of values, beliefs and traditions in Irish society. This was taken into consideration by MTU in agreeing to the venue hire, as was the importance of being inclusive of the festival contestants themselves, and all those for whom the festival is so special."

CEO of the Rose of Tralee, Anthony O’Gara, welcomed the venue announcement.

“We are delighted that the Rose of Tralee International Festival will be broadcast live from Kerry Sports Academy this year, particularly as the festival was cancelled for the last two years due to the pandemic," he said.

"This year we are looking forward to welcoming our roses back to Tralee and celebrating together with a five-day festival beginning on Friday August 19 and culminating in the selection of the 2022 International Rose of Tralee live on Tuesday August 23.”