The rebel county last won the prestigious title in 2013, when Geraldine Barrett, a member of Kilmeen Macra, Carbery, took the tiara.

The 2015 winner will follow in the footsteps of Galway girl Orla Murphy, who took the sash last year as the festival marked 50 years.

Cork will be represented by Avondhu Queen Margaret Kelleher, Muskerry Queen Lisa O’Connell, Imokilly Queen Sinéad McCarthy, Seandún Queen Siobhán Kelleher, and Carbery Queen Elaine Johnston.

Also lining out for Munster at the event will be Kerry Queen Christine Buckley, Waterford Queen Carrie Smith, South Tipperary Queen Marian O’Donnell, North Tipperary Queen Nora Ryan, Limerick Queen Liz Mason, and Clare Queen Róisín Rodgers.

Avondhu’s Margaret is a member of Mitchesltown Macra and a quantitative geneticist.

Muskerry’s Lisa is a care assistant and nursing student and a member of Aghinagh Macra.

Imokilly Queen Sinéad is a member of Aghada Macra and enjoys dancing and football while Seandún Queen Siobhán is a bank official and a member of Knockraha Macra.

Carbery Queen Elaine is a nurse and a member of Bantry Macra.

This year’s festival has 30 contestants and will attract visitors from all over the country. The festival was established in 1964, and was taken over by Offaly Macra three years later.

Meath lives up to the claim of being the “Royal County” by having had six Queens crowned over the years.

Cork, Kilkenny, and Laois have claimed four titles each.

Last year’s winner, Orla, will return to the festival to join the adjudicating panel, along with WR Shaw representative, Elaine Barrett, who owns and runs a beauty salon, and former Limerick hurler and motivational speaker Joe Quaid.

The adjudicators will take into account appearance, personality, energy, confidence, dress sense, rural knowledge and elocution to choose the contestant which best exudes the qualities of today’s modern rural woman.

macra@examiner.ie