Televised Rose of Tralee selections gets underway tonight

The annual televised Rose of Tralee selection event gets underway tonight at Munster Technological University.

32 contestants of Irish heritage from around the world, will compete for the title over the next two nights.

The initial Rose competition was first held in Tralee in 1959 and is now estimated to be worth close to 20 million euro per year to the local economy.

Mayor of Tralee, Johnny Wall, says the town gets global coverage it couldn't afford to buy.