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Dublin Rose relishes her incredible time growing up in the Falkland Islands

Bethany said that living in the Falklands was a “different way of life; it was just incredible.” She added, “I'm still in touch with a lot of people that I went to school with”

Bethany Cushing from Ballyhea has been selected as Dublin Rose 2023, and joined contestants from all over Ireland and further afield for the top Rose of Tralee Festival that took place this week. The Rose of Tralee international festival celebrated this year its 62nd year, and was broadcast live from the Kerry Sports Academy in Tralee.

The Dublin Rose, Bethany Cushing, 27, has many roots as she was born in London, moved to Cork, and grew up in the Falkland Islands of which she has the best of memories. She finally moved to Dublin in 2013 to study in Trinity College Dublin and has stayed put ever since, and is now studying for a medical degree at the Royal College of Surgeons and has a huge interest in obstetrics and gynecology.

In an interview with Irish media, Bethany revealed that she and her family actually lived in the Falkland Islands for two and a half years, and recalls fondly of her time in the Islands.

“I moved to the Falklands when I was five years old,” she said. “My mum worked in finance and she was offered a job down there working for the government.

”She took the opportunity and I'm an only child, so it was just me, my mum and my dad, the three of us there.“

Bethany said that living there was a ”different way of life“.

”It was just incredible,“ she said. ”Everything is so chill, everything is so, so safe. I was six years old walking home from school on my own.

“I actually do remember a lot of it, more so than people expect me to, but it was an incredible chance to see more of the world.”

She continued: “I also met a lot of amazing people, I'm still in touch with a lot of people that I went to school with down there. A lot of them are back in the UK now.

”It was really incredible, if anyone ever wants to go down there I would really recommend it.”