Leitrim Rose in top two to take title
Leitrim Rose Martha Gilheaney is one of the bookies favourites to win the Rose of Tralee this year, but the bubbly lady had a setback in her preparations last week when her luggage was stolen on Dublin - Sligo train.
Martha from Ballinamore was attending the Final selection of the Dublin Rose and a photo shoot for VIP magazine on Saturday, July 10 in the CityWest Hotel, Dublin. She had a great night and enjoyed meeting all the other Irish roses and chatting about how their preparations were coming along.
But on the train home from Dublin Connolly to Carrick-on-Shannon, Martha had her precious luggage stolen which held all her Newbridge jewellery, shoes, sash, beautiful dresses, GHD straighteners and other personal items. She told the Leitrim Observer she stored her distinctive luggage (black and white zebra patterned) in the luggage area of the train with everyone elses. She said she was sitting quite close to the luggage area "about two seats away."
The train made all it's usual stops on the way to Carrick-on-Shannon station. At the Longford stop Martha got up to check on her luggage only to find it had disappeared. It had been stolen. Martha instantly knew that no one would have "mistaken their luggage for mine, it was very girly."
She told the train conductor and notified the Gardai. She made a statement to the Gardai and was "very shook up" about the incident.
Even that night the Leitrim Rose said she was still "shaken," she checked that the door to her home was locked several times before going to bed. She said the episode had ruined her confidence.
A day later she received a phonecall from a woman in the Blackrock station in Dublin saying they found Martha's luggage, but it had been cut open and jewellery, shoes, and her GHDs had been taken.
The up beat Martha said she was very fortunate that "all my dresses were still there" but she was devastated to have lost all her Newbridge jewellery which were all in their original packaging, her new shoes to match her dresses and her GHDs which retail at €150.
Martha said strangely a bra and packet of contact lenses were also taken.
"I am always so careful, I have never had anything stolen before, my confidence is shook," she told the paper last week.
She said the Gardai will be checking the CCTV cameras on the train, but she now believes that the bags were taken while the train was sitting in Connolly Station waiting for passengers to board. She said an American woman travelling to Sligo on the day also had her luggage stolen with some of the items turning up at Blackrock train station in Dublin along with Martha's stuff. Martha is "hopeful" that the perpetrators are found.
On a positive note the store Bally where she had purchased some of her shoes deciced to sponsor her replacement shoes in a gesture of good will after hearing her story. Martha has received so much support locally and from her "fans" on her Leitrim Rose facebook page. Her dressmaker Eileen Abbott even gave the Leitrim Rose a ticket to 'Ladies Day' at the Galway Races to cheer her up.
Aside from this hiccup preparations are going very well for Ms Gilheaney. Paddy Powers has Martha as joint favourite with the Tipperary Rose to win the Rose of Tralee and Boylesports has her second favourite.
"Martha ticks all the boxes to make the perfect Rose and will be a hard act to follow if her resume is anything to go by," commented Nicola McGeady, Boylesports PR Executive.
"She has an abundance of talent which will go down a storm in Tralee but the competition will be fierce as she is up against 31 other hopefuls", she continued.
Martha said the bookies tips are "very flattering" even though she said "I don't know how they make them up." She said it is exciting to be hotly tipped but she won't be taking them too seriously. She said she is advising everyone "not to bet" on her as she does not want to pay them all back if she is unsuccessful!
Martha has a hectic couple of weeks ahead with an event to attend each week. She will open the Carrigallen and Ballinamore Festivals and she will be a special guest at the Leitrim Observer Pub of the Year Awards amongst other events leading up to the international festival in Tralee.
Martha said she is happy to report that the dress for the TV appearance on the Rose of Tralee has been finished, but she has not yet laid eyes on it. Eileen Abbott is the dress designer and Martha said she "loved" the dress Eileen designed for the regional finals which she described as "the most beautiful thing I have ever worn" and so is very excited about this new individual creation. Ms Gilheaney did reveal it is in the "romantic style."
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Weather for Carrick-on-Shannon, Ireland
Thursday 17 May 2012
Today
Light rain
Temperature: 5 C to 11 C
Wind Speed: 7 mph
Wind direction: South
Tomorrow
Light showers
Temperature: 6 C to 11 C
Wind Speed: 10 mph
Wind direction: North east
