THE Rose of Tralee will play a major part in the Holy Week Ceremonies which will be televised by RTÉ, for the first time, live from St John’s Church in Tralee.

Clare Kambamettu will read the first reading from St Paul's letter to the Romans (Rom, 6: 3-11) during the Easter Vigil Mass on Saturday April 23^rd.

The Communications Manager for the Rose of Tralee International Festival, John Drummey, said: “It is a great honour for the Rose of Tralee to be associated with this historic broadcast. In addition to the religious significance, the viewers will see an introductory film about Tralee and its community before the live coverage on both Friday and Saturday. We also hope to see a brief excerpt from last year's selection in the Dome in that package.”

Fr Dermod McCarthy, a former Head of Religious Programmes on RTÉ, will produce and direct the Holy Week broadcasts. He has identified a number of connections between Clare Kambamettu’s participation in the Ceremonies at St John’s Church, the main players in the original story of the Rose of Tralee and his own Ministry in the 1970s in Kildare.

“I have known Clare Kambamettu since she was a toddler. I served in Athy, Co.Kildare in the 1970's and her family and I have been close friends ever since. Historically, it may be of interest to note that both Mary O'Connor, the original Rose of the song, and William Pembroke Mulchinoch, who wrote it, would have attended Mass in the then newly-built Church of St John the Baptist in Tralee in the late 1850's. Its foundation stone was laid in 1854. According to local historians their ill-fated relationship ended in 1862. Another link to Clare Kambamettu comes through her father Dr Ravi Kambamettu who is a native of India where William Mulchinoch was sent by his family to bring an end to any hopes of marriage with Mary.”

Fr Sean Hanafin, the Parish Priest in St John’s Parish, will be the main celebrant on Good Friday and Easter Saturday. Fr Pat Ahern, the founder of Siamsa Tire and life-long friend of Fr Dermod McCarthy will direct the music and drama inserts. The singers will be the Tralee parish choir accompanied by 15 local traditional musicians and John Jones on the organ.

The dramatised Passion at 3pm on Good Friday April 22nd and the Easter Vigil Mass at 10.55pm on Saturday April 23th will both be carried live on RTÉ1 and streamed around the world on www.rte.ie/live. They will also be available on RTÉ Player from Monday 25th for a further three weeks on www.rte.ie/player.

---

Share this page via...