Rose of Tralee Maria Walsh said tonight the festival organisers and judges did not know she was gay when she entered.

Ms Walsh said she would have told the judges she was a lesbian had she been asked but the issue did not come up.

“I’ve been openly gay for two years. My family and my friends know it. They support it. It came out after the fact to the Rose of Tralee committee,” she told the Late Late Show.

“They welcomed it even more as part of my identity along with the many other things that I identify with. I’m very transparent. I have nothing to hide.”

When asked by host Ryan Tubridy if anybody involved in the festival knew she was gay, she responded: "No, that wasn't asked. If it was leaning towards that way, I would have openly said it, but it wasn't."

She said she does want to be a role model. “If I could help one young person come out and deal with it in a positive way, then my year as the Rose of Tralee will already have been completed.”

Ms Walsh said she first discovered she was gay two years ago when she met a girl after training. “We were having a team dinner. She was there and for whatever reason I’m going to be with her. We made it work for two years.”

She is no longer with her former girlfriend but her ex did come to the Dome in Tralee to support her.