Kerry Manze (21) was selected as the new Rose of Yorkshire at the Yorkshire Rose Selection Night which took place at Leeds Irish Centre recently.
Kerry grew up in Doddington, Cambridgeshire and her mother comes from Youghal, Co. Cork.
Kerry moved to Leeds to study and is just finishing up her nursing studies.
Kerry was selected from finalists that were made up of engineers, lawyers, teachers, university students, singers and musicians.
On the night there was entertainment from Effie Neill and the Barry Doyle Band and a special guest was Tony Allen of Foster and Allen.
When The Irish World asked if she could believe she is going to Tralee Kerry said: “Not at all.
“It was such a shock but such a happy surprise for me.”
On the moment her name was announced Kerry said: “I remember turning around and having that split second of like, ‘Who was that?’
“And then everyone started saying, ‘It was you’.
“It was amazing.
“I think my heart kind of stopped for a second and then just tears.
“I looked at my mum.
“The first thing I wanted to do was run off the stage but obviously there were ceremonious things to be done.
“It was amazing.”
Is the Rose of Tralee something you have always wanted to be part of?
“It was something I was always very much into when I was little.
“It was the dresses and the glitz and the glamour. It’s like being a princess but I think as I got older, I got a little bit more scared of doing stuff that put me out of my comfort zone.
“I moved to Leeds when I was 18 for university and the first thing my mum said was, ‘There’s a Rose Centre, you could do it’.
“It was last year that I finally said, ‘You know what? I’m gonna do it’.
“I always had such a love for it but I had to find my own confidence to do it.
“I kind of decided that I was tired of being quite an anxious person.
“I didn’t want to be afraid of doing things anymore.
“I realised I’d been held back by my own mind and I thought, ‘Right, I’m in my 20s now. I’m an adult. I’m gonna do all the scary things’.
“And my mum had been saying to me since I’ve moved to Leeds, ‘Do it. Do it. Do it’.
“And I always said, ‘No, I can’t, I can’t, I’m too shy’.
“So last year I thought, ‘I’m gonna do it’.
“It was such an amazing experience and I’m so glad that I did.”
Kerry grew up visiting family in Ireland.
“That was where all my family was.
“I’ve always been so close with them.”
On the night Kerry sang Billy Joel’s Vienna.
“I’m a very musical person.
“Playing piano and singing has been good to de-stress.
“I think music has always been the big, big passion.
“I was so nervous (singing Vienna).
“I was focusing a lot on not forgetting the words.
“But it went well.
“It was a bit of a bit of a brave step to do it but I’m glad that I did.”
The first people to congratulate Kerry on Saturday were her fellow Rose finalists.
“I was kind of stood there a little bit confused like, ‘Did they say my name?’
“And I just kind of got wrapped into a hug, and they helped me get my sash off so I could get the new one on.
“They were so they were all so happy for me.
“But I was so surprised that it was me because of how amazing these women were.”
Kerry is now looking forward to the Tralee experience.
“I do love making some friends and chatting to new people so I’m very excited.
“Everyone has literally said that ‘It’s going to be the experience of your life. You’re going to have the best time and you’re never gonna forget it’.
“On Saturday there were roses from 1992, 1993 and all of them have said, ‘It’s just the most amazing experience’.
“I’m so excited.
“I just want to say thank you to the Yorkshire Rose Centre for the opportunity.
“They put in so much work and they were so good to all of us.”
The Yorkshire Rose Centre added: “Congratulations to our winner Kerry Manze on becoming our 2026 Yorkshire Rose of Tralee.”
The Rose of Tralee festival takes place 14- 18 August.
