Shauna Sammon, a 28- year- old teacher from Erriff in Co. Mayo, was crowned as the new London Rose on Friday night.
Shauna was selected from the 11 finalists at the London Rose final at the Clayton Hotel in Chiswick.
Shauna teaches at St Andrew’s Primary School in Streatham. She is passionate about music and on the night sang Fields of Gold onstage accompanied on the guitar by her sister, Aisling. She also plays GAA in London with Round Towers. Her aunt, Angela, wrote for The Irish World for many years.
Shauna succeeds 2024 Rose Glenna Mannion and will represent London at the Rose of Tralee International Festival. The reigning Rose of Tralee Keely O’Grady was there for the big night. Other special guests were Rose of Tralee CEO Anthony O’Gara and his wife Oonagh.
There were also a number of the 2024 Roses who came to support their Rose sister Glenna as she passed on her sash.
2025 London Rose Shauna Sammon told The Irish World on the night: “It’s still sinking in. It’s surreal. I’m just so grateful to the judges for seeing something in me and believing in me. I’m so excited to represent London. I love where I come from, I love Ireland and I think I embrace it so much more that I’ve moved away and moved to London. I’m so excited to represent London on the stage in Tralee in August.”
Shauna was shocked to hear her name announced as the rose.
“I was up against ten other amazing girls, it could have been any one of us. You never think of yourself as the one to win. Any of those girls could have won it. I’ve made friends for life. Even when I got the sash, the first thing I said to them was, ‘You have to come to Tralee’ because I just feel like they have to finish this journey with me.”
“I know I’ll have their support. It’s been such a wonderful experience. I know it’s only starting but I’m delighted.”
Asked what she is looking forward to about Tralee Shauna said: “I think the whole experience will be so much fun.
“I’m really looking forward to meeting all the other roses. I’m looking forward to the whole experience. I’ve followed the Rose of Tralee for years. This has been such a big part of my life, my family’s life for years and it’s such a tradition in my household.
“So to think that I’ll be one of those roses and I’m worthy to be up there on that stage with all the other women, it’s incredible. I’m looking forward to getting dressed up, meeting so many new people and wonderful women.”
Shauna spoke about how proud she will be to represent London: “I was born here and I’ve always had that connection to London. I’m not leaving London anytime soon so I really want to make a difference and represent London as best I can. I suppose when you put in the application initially you don’t think, ‘Oh, I’m in this to win this’. I was in this to boost my confidence, meet other women in London to broaden my circle of friends and that’s exactly what I’ve done, and I’ve been lucky enough to be selected as the London Rose and get the sash as well which is such an honour.”
Shauna had support from both near and far on the night.
“I had my brother and his fiancé in Edinburgh, I had my dad at home. (I had support in) Australia, America. I said that before I came in today: Whatever happens, I’m not lacking on support. That’s something that was so important to me and that gave me the confidence and the boost today. I think 10 year old me would be screaming right now.
“She would be very, very excited. I think a message that I would just love to share with young girls and young boys across the world is just that you can do anything you put your mind to. I’m a true believer in that and I am living proof of that.”
The Rose of Tralee festival takes place 15- 19 August.