Meet the new Cork Rose: “It really is a dream come true”

A 25-YEAR-OLD community pharmacist from Araglen has been named as this year’s Cork Rose.

Shauna O’Sullivan was picked from 23 young women at the annual Cork Rose selection last Saturday night, hosted in the Rochestown Park Hotel.

The unassuming winner, who describes herself as ‘ordinary’, says still quite can’t believe she’s been picked to represent her county – but we could see why, after a chat with the bubbly young woman.

Shauna graduated in pharmacy in UCC last October and went straight out into the working world and is loving it.

She always knew she wanted to work in healthcare, but as an 18-year-old, sitting her Leaving Cert, was unsure of which course to pick.

“One day it would be occupational therapy, another day it would be speech and language, all those things. It wasn’t until the Change of Mind in July when I thought pharmacy, so I put it down, top of the list, and lo and behold, I ended up getting it.

“I must say it was a blessing in disguise because it all worked out for the better.

I love the community side of it. That is where I am working now and that is where I see myself for the future to be honest.

“You are meeting patients all the time, you are one of the only healthcare professionals that meets them on a regular basis, sometimes monthly or weekly, sometimes every day, they are coming in for the chat – it is great, you really get to see their continuity of care, I love it from that point of view. So far, so good, I think I made the right decision.”

Shauna works in McCauleys three days a week, in a part-time support role and also does locum work, covering for holidays, etc, in other pharmacies – in particular with O’Sullivans, who have seven stores around Cork. In fact, they were her sponsors for the Cork Rose selection.

“I had undertaken my placement with them throughout the course of my pharmacy studies, in 4th year and 5th year – I have gotten to know them all very well, so they were an obvious choice for my sponsor, they have been phenomenal, so supportive.”

Returning to work on Monday, with the Cork Rose sash, was fantastic, said Shauna.

“We had a fab day – it was lovely to be back at work with them, of all people, because, they made such a fuss. I was whipping on and off the sash all day, there were flowers and the customers were coming and going, all getting photos, it was brilliant.”

Shauna has been a big fan of the Rose of Tralee for many years.

“I am one of those people who have loved the Rose of Tralee my whole life. Anyone who knows me will tell you I would be glued to the TV every August, I would have gone down too a few years as well – I could probably rattle off most of the Roses who have won, from the last 10 years.

I am one of those people. It was always on my list to do, I suppose because I admired it and all it represents, and because it was so high up in my expectations, I would have put it off. 

You could apply for it from when you were 18 but I was always pushing it out because I always felt I wasn’t good enough, I hadn’t done enough, or achieved enough, compared to all the girls and women who have gone before me. And still I don’t know how I was chosen at all.

“I just said there is never going to be a perfect time, so I decided in January – in the new year, with all the new year notions – just to do it. Then it came around and I said I had signed up, so I have to keep going. So, yeah, it is something I always wanted to do and now I am so glad I did, I can’t believe it is all happening. It really is a dream come true.”

Shauna is the eldest daughter of garda, Tom O’Sullivan, and Ena, a pharmacist technician. She has two sisters and a brother, who are all very close in age.

They live in Araglen, a rural little community between Fermoy and Mitchelstown – Shauna would have gone to school in Fermoy, in Loreto Secondary School.

Her parents and brother, aunt and uncle and cousins were at the selection night – but she joked her two sisters were off at a festival in Belfast and so missed it – thinking she’d take part again next year.

“This is how unexpected it all was – two of my sisters went up to Belfast, for the farmers’ bash, some festival up there. My sisters won’t be hearing the end of it,” she joked.

Reflecting on the last few weeks, Shauna said the experience has been amazing.

The Cork Rose Centre in particular, they are fantastic – they go above and beyond…

She has enjoyed the whirlwind of social events and getting to know her fellow Rose contestants.

The highlight for her was the Rose tour in May, where they visited a number of businesses in East Cork, including the Jameson Distillery, Ballymaloe Cookery School, and Fota Wildlife Park, before heading to Dwyers.

“You really felt like a Rose at that event, going around with the sashes, people were all looking – that was the highlight of it for me.”

She is sad to see this part of her journey end.

“It’s almost sad in a way for the Cork part to be over, all the girls I met were amazing, it has been fab, but I am hoping we can carry them all along with me – it would be great to have the support too.

“It has been amazing, but that is all down to the Cork centre, Heather and Katie, all of them have been phenomenal, and they have ensured we had the best experience possible. It has been great. I have loved every minute.

I want to mention my 22 other Cork Rose sisters who I had the pleasure of getting to know over the last six weeks.

“Also, Kate Shaughnessy (Cork Rose 2023), is one in a million. A true lady in every sense of the word and someone I am so proud to now call a friend. She has been a remarkable representative for our county as Cork Rose over the last year. I am fully aware I have big shoes to fill, but I will do my best to make her, the Cork Rose Centre team and the entire county proud.”

Shauna is looking forward to the next part – the Rose Tour – then the trip to the Dome in Tralee.

“I can’t wait. It will be phenomenal. It was great to meet a lot of the Roses, at the selection night – I will be spending a lot of time with them in August. I am really looking forward to that. The tour will kick it all off, before heading to Tralee. It will be an amazing experience.”

When asked if there are any issues close to her heart that she will be using her platform to highlight, Shauna said: “I want to represent Cork as best I can. It really hasn’t sunk in. I feel like I am so ordinary in comparison to anyone else. I need to sit down and think about exactly what I would like to do with this platform that is all so new. 

But really I just want to show that you don’t have to be anything special – it sounds so bad to be talking myself down – but you just have to be yourself, be a good role model, and be kind and it can get you so far. Just be a good role model for young girls growing up. Work hard, back yourself.

She also wants to give a special mention to an upcoming event in her community – Araglen Carnival, a community festival which has been running for 67 years. She is on the organising committee.

The community has been so supportive since her selection: “I have a great community behind me. They have organised my home-coming on Saturday night, they are all on top of the world right now. They are so excited.”

Shauna said they are also really busy planning the upcoming carnvial, from July 16 to 21.

“It has been running 67 years, that shows how great the community is here, it is all self-funded, and I am only appreciating now all the work that goes into anything – insurance, all these costs.

“We have all sorts of events planned, live bands, football tournaments, you name it, treasure hunts, table quizzes. It is a real traditional festival, we are keeping it that way.”

Shauna would also like to give a nod to Rochestown Park Hotel, where she and the other Cork Rose contestants spent a lot of time recently.

“They made us feel very comfortable and at ease.”