Caoilfhinn Ní Choiligh, the Co Westmeath woman who was crowned the 2026 International Rose of Tralee, has said she hopes to make more public appearances without her wig in future.
The 25-year-old shared her experience of alopecia during Monday’s TV broadcast of the competition and talked on stage about a selection of wigs before removing the one she was wearing to show her hair loss.
“Everyone has seen me, but there are so many like me who, to be honest, I take inspiration from,” she said on Wednesday, the morning after winning the contest.
“There are so many women who don’t wear a wig at all and fully embrace it and I am learning to do that. I hope to do that more in the future. The exposure therapy on Monday night definitely helped with that.”
Ní Choiligh lost her hair at 15 and said she had never been to a hair salon before participating in the Rose of Tralee Festival.
However, it is an experience she will have a chance to get used to as her prize package includes 12 months of hair and make-up styling from the Kerry College of Further Education.
“The girls are so well-versed in hair styling that they were able to style my wigs for the TV night. I really enjoyed that,” she said. “When I was losing my hair, I was too young to go to a salon. But the lady who did my hair, her niece had alopecia, and as soon as I mentioned it she knew what to do. Both women who styled my hair had styled wigs before, I am very blessed. So it was really nice to be pampered with all the girls.”
The 2026 International Rose of Tralee Caoilfhinn Ní Choiligh. Photograph: Domnick Walsh/Eye Focus
[ Rose of Tralee review: Westmeath winner is a good-news story from a creaky eventOpens in new window ]
Ní Choiligh said she was “shocked” to hear her name announced as winner of the Rose of Tralee and was “very proud” to represent women who live with hair loss.
“I saw the messages coming in the group chat and it’s amazing because some of these women I have not even met in person. So, like, my biggest supporters I haven’t even met or are from other parts of the world, and it’s amazing.”
She added: “It’s a lot right now but I just can’t wait to see them all and show how proud I am of all of us.”
Westmeath Rose Caoilfhinn Ní Choiligh won this year’s Rose of Tralee. Photograph: Domnick Walsh
Although going through hair loss at such a young age was a challenging experience, Ní Choiligh said she would not change it, as it has made her the person she is today.
“The thing that I have gone through and the things that make me, I wouldn’t change it for the world. I don’t want my hair to grow back because … if I could change time and make it so that I didn’t lose my hair … I wouldn’t have it any other way because it made me resilient, it made me strong, it made me connect with other women who are also all those things”.
“I think it’s something that really shaped me.”
In terms of her plans for the next 12 months, she said she was uncertain but wanted to “embrace everything that comes my way”.
“I do want to highlight more of the festival aspect of it because you see so much on telly and social media, but I have been involved now with the tour, and the parade and everything that goes on in between and I think that’s something that is a credit to Tralee. The organisers put so much work and effort into it and I think they deserve a bit more attention for it because it’s all about the kids at the end of the day, it’s about family, it’s about community.”