Rose of Tralee host Dáithí Ó Sé isn’t planning to leave the Kerry dome for the Dublin Dáil anytime soon – but he hasn’t ruled it out. 

Dáithí and his cohost Kathryn Thomas will return to Tralee tonight for the first semi-final of the pageant. 

Beyond his hosting duties, Dáithí has been among presenters speculated to consider a career in politics. 

Gráinne Seoige is set to throw her hat in the ring and go for the Fianna Fáil nomination in Galway West in the next general election. 

On Newstalk Breakfast today, Dáithí said he could take a similar political route to Gráinne in the future. 

“I haven’t ruled it out, not that I have sat down and thought about it,” he said. 

“But it’s something you just don’t know what happens – I wouldn’t want to be going for office later on in life and hear ‘you told us years ago’. 

“I have to get out of Kerry first.” 

Dáithí in the Dáil?

Kerry TD Michael Healy-Rae said this morning that Dáithí has “everything in the world that it would take to be a good politician”. 

“He’s a nice man. He’s down to earth and there’s no-nonsense," he told The Irish Sun.

The Independent TD warned that he should “stay away from Kerry”, however. 

Dáithí also said the criticism of the Rose of Tralee is “like anything else” people have an opinion about. 

“It's not up to me to change anyone’s minds about the Rose of Tralee,” he said. 

“But I can only tell people what I think of it and for me, it’s a celebration of Irishness, a celebration of Irish women. 

“I always ask the question when is the celebration of Irish women out of date?” 

Dáithí Ó Sé and Kathryn Thomas at the Rose of Tralee International Festival 2023 at the Royal Hospital Kilmainham in Dublin. Picture by: Andres Poveda

He noted that the Rose often reflects changing societal roles and values for women. 

“In the 1970s, you would have had a lot of teachers, nurses – what was perceived as a female-skewed job. 

“In 2024, you’re talking about engineers, doctors, occupation therapists.” 

Ohio Rose Aoife Zuercher, for example, has been working at NASA on next-generation batteries for electric aircraft as part of an internship.