The London Rose Shauna Sammon hosted a special fundraiser at The Claddagh Ring recently.
The race night raised funds for Southwark Irish Pensioners, a cause close to Shauna’s heart.
The race night on 5 July was MC’d by Joe O’Neill, who established and directs the Irish Creative Collective, and featured entertainment from singer- songwriter Niall McNamee.
Shauna, a 28- year- old teacher from Erriff in Co. Mayo, was selected as the London Rose for 2025 at the London Rose final in May. She will now represent London at the Rose of Tralee festival in August.
London Rose Shauna Sammon told The Irish World on the night: “It was great.
“So grateful to everyone that contributed to the night to make it such a success.
“We had great sponsorship prizes for the raffle which was lovely.
“I had a lot of support from Mayo which was lovely too.
“It went really well.”
On the charity concerned Shauna said: “I chose Southwark Irish Pensioners just because it’s a topic close to my heart.
“My grandfather passed away on 1 April so I thought, ‘Why not donate the money to a cause that’s close to my heart?’
“The Southwark Irish Pensioners do a lot of work supporting the older Irish community in London who may not have family to visit them or may not have their community around them.
“It’s a place to go for a bite to eat, a cup of tea and an Irish chat. They love it.”
Shauna, who plays GAA in London with Round Towers, teaches at St Andrew’s Primary School in Streatham.
Looking ahead to Tralee Shauna said: “It’s exciting.
“We’re still in school so I think once school finishes and wraps up, I’ll be able to start focusing on Tralee a little bit more.
“It’s exciting for me and it’s exciting for everybody else as well.
“My family are so looking forward to it and it is another time for us all to get together.”
The Irish World was at the Clayton Hotel in Chiswick to see Shauna get crowned. We got her reaction on the night when it was still sinking in.
Asked if it continues to sink in, she said: “I think it will continue to sink in for the year.
“It’s something that I’ve always wanted to do.
“I’ve grown up watching the Rose of Tralee on TV so to think that I’ll be one of those 32 Roses up on the stage this August is still quite surreal but it’s exciting.
“I’m looking forward to it.
“It’s still so hard to believe.
“I actually don’t know if I’ll even believe it when I’m there, but it will be fun.
“I can’t pinpoint one part that I’m just looking forward to.
“I think I’m just looking forward to the whole experience.
“I think meeting the girls is going to be something that’s very special.
“We start off in Meath and we do a little tour around Ireland before we reach Tralee on 15 August.
“Spending that time with them will be lovely.
“When I arrive to Tralee then and see all my family, it will be lovely.
“I suppose the party only starts then in Tralee.”
On representing London she added: “I was born in London.
“London has always had a special place in my heart.
“My parents spent a lot of time here.
“My aunties spent a lot of time here and continue to do so so it’s just kind of doing it for them also.”
On the fundraising night Shauna added: “Joe was amazing.
“I definitely couldn’t have done it without Joe.
“Thank you to the two boys who came in and ran the race night, Niall McNamee.
“Finbar (Holian, The Claddagh Ring) had everything organised so it was great.
“It was great to have it up here as well.
“There is a great Irish community in north London.”
The Rose of Tralee international festival takes place 15- 19 August.
