What an amazing experience it was. Constant fun activity with the most amazing young ladies from all over the world. Each one of them were absolute class and ALL represented Ireland and their homes with elegance and grace.
One of my favorite memories was a little boy who must have been about 6 yrs old was sure to see me at each event and bring me a rose. Receiving hand made cards, flowers and letters from strangers attending the festival expressing best of wishes and possible ancestral connections. Besides the honor of being there and meeting many of the Irish dignitaries. All of it was so surreal. I regret that I was starting to get sick towards the end and my body crashed when it was "officially" over. I backpacked the rest of Ireland with San Fransisco Rose, some family and friends for another two weeks. This was great time to recover and not leave Ireland so soon. It was so hard to leave after all of the pageantry.
Back then the broadcast only began after the news, and took place on Tuesday and Wednesday nights. I can’t tell you when exactly, but sometime in the late 90s the show moved to Monday and Tuesday nights and started at 8pm (with, as you said, a break for the news.)
