Gin tasting tour is just the tonic for Kilkenny Roses

KILKENNY’S Rose of Tralee contestants had a gin-teresting evening after they were given their very own tour of the award-winning Ballykeefe Distillery.

It was a bit of an insider job – one of the 2019 hopefuls, Rose Sinead – is being sponsored by the company, and she was happy to give the rest of the candidates an educational tour of the distillery’s impressive facilities.  And then the Roses got to sample a taste of the finished products.

The 2019 candidates were joined at yesterday’s event by the current Kilkenny Rose Helena Hughes, along with Kilkenny Rose coordinator Lyn Moloney and Donna Byrne from MacDonagh Junction Shopping, who are the main sponsor of this year’s event.

This year’s Kilkenny Rose will be crowned at a selection event at the Kilkenny Ormonde Hotel next Saturday night.

PHOTOS: Anna Lalor