Rose of Tralee Dublin entrant faces racist abuse

A Dublin contestant in this year's Rose of Tralee has become the target of racist abuse online because of her Muslim-Somali heritage, but she has also received a wave of support from festival organisers and the public. Saud Mogha, a 25-year-old medical scientist, footballer and entrepreneur, was chosen as the Dublin Rose in May. Since then, she has faced a stream of hostile comments on social media, with some questioning whether she is truly Irish because of her background.

Mogha, who was born in Ireland and raised in Dublin, said the first week after her selection was difficult. "Obviously, I'm not going to lie, the first week was a bit rough," she told reporters. "There was a lot of negative feedback and backlash. Oh, she's not Irish, she's not from here, what's her heritage? You need to have Irish blood... A lot of nasty comments that I don't think are PG enough for me to say." She also said people had taken her images and used AI to create "silly stuff".

The abuse has been linked to wider tensions around immigration in Ireland, and the story was picked up by American cable news, where far-right accounts amplified the controversy. But Mogha has pushed back with humour and a clear sense of identity. "Being Irish can look like a lot of things," she said. "I'm Somali, I'm Irish, I'm from Dublin, I'm Muslim, I'm a medical scientist, I'm a footballer, I'm an entrepreneur. And I think that's what being Irish is about, is that you can be a whole lot of different things."

The Rose of Tralee is one of Ireland's oldest and biggest festivals, celebrating women and Irish culture. Organisers insist it is not a pageant, despite the glitz and glamour. There is no swimwear category; instead, the focus is on confidence, warmth and intellect. The festival has welcomed women from diverse backgrounds for years, and this year's event in Tralee has seen strong support for Mogha. "I've had fun. I've got to dress up and meet different communities, but it's so much bigger than me," she said.

The 32 finalists, representing Irish communities around the world, are competing to be crowned the International Rose of Tralee on Tuesday evening. Mogha is one of the favourites. She said that if younger girls see her on stage, it could send a powerful message. "If younger girls are watching this now on Monday and Tuesday and they're seeing me and then they're thinking, you know, maybe there's space for me too, that would mean the world to me and I've already won."

The controversy has reignited a debate about who counts as Irish, but the festival itself has evolved over time, with past roses using the platform to speak on divisive issues like abortion. For many, the event remains a celebration of Irish culture in all its forms, even as it clashes with modern questions of identity.