Tragic ending to Rose's love story
THEIRS was a fairytale romance that began at the Rose of Tralee Festival but had a tragic ending.
It was a true-life love story when the 2010 Texas Rose Adrienne Hussey returned to Ireland late last year to be reunited with her "escort" boyfriend, Eoin Treanor.
He had been the gentleman on her arm for the 2010 festival and was by her bedside when she sadly died from a suspected brain haemorrhage in Beaumont Hospital on Thursday night.
Adrienne (26) became suddenly ill on Wednesday night and was rushed to hospital, much to the shock of Mr Treanor and her fellow Roses, who kept a vigil. Her parents flew over from the US, arriving in Ireland on Thursday morning.
Adrienne was originally from Plano, Texas, but had roots in Dublin and Waterford. Following her participation in the 2010 pageant, it was her dream to return to Ireland.
The Texas University graduate worked as a social worker in a non-profit school prior to the Rose of Tralee festival, working with young people who had dropped out of secondary school. Organisers of the Rose of Tralee International Festival expressed their shock at her sudden death.
General manager Oliver Hurley said it was with great sadness they had received the news of the untimely death of their 2010 Texas Rose.
"We extend our deepest sympathy to Adrienne's family, to her boyfriend Eoin and to her fellow Roses, many of whom kept a vigil at her bedside in Beaumont Hospital last night," Mr Hurley said.
He said Adrienne had worked extensively with at-risk young people, including those on probation or who had been excluded from school.
Social networking site Twitter was flooded with messages of sympathy following Adrienne's death. Dublin Rose Siobheal Nic Eochaidh said hearing of the death was "devastating".
- Majella O'Sullivan and Eimear Ni Bhraonain
Irish Independent
