This article is from page 6 of the 2013-08-13 edition of The Clare People. OCR mistakes are to be expected so download the original SWF or the rendered page 6 JPG
IT WAS birthday celebration on the double for the newly-crowned Rose of Clare this weekend, as she was named the over all winner of the contest on the eve of her 23rd birthday.
Una Dowling who represented Kildare at the 34th annual CooraclareCree contest beat off strong competition from 16 other contestants from all over Clare, Australia and England, hours before her birthday.
The Kildare woman has strong Cooraclare-Cree heritage as her mother Eileen Chambers comes from Dromelihy.
Una, the daughter of Eileen and Christy Dowling, grew up in Castledermot, Kildare.
She is a third year student at Mater Dei Institute of Education, where she studies English and religion.
Una wasn’t the only festival success on Friday night, as local man Pat McMahon was named Overall Escort following a vote by all the roses.
The popular engineer won them over with his quick wit and charm, and no doubt with tales of his charity work with the Niall Mellon Trust.