DaithÃ meets this year's Rose of Tralee entrants

The countdown to this year's Rose of Tralee International Festival kicked off today at Dublin airport where Daithí O Sé met this year's ladies for the first time. Check out the pics!

Rose of Tralee host Dáithí O Sé, who will present the show for a fifth year, was sporting a pilot look when he met all 32 Roses today at Dublin airport.

RTÉ Television will broadcast the International Rose of Tralee Selection live from the Festival Dome at 8pm on Monday 18 and Tuesday 19 August on RTÉ One.

This year a musical performance will take place each night which will be televised live from the Rose of Tralee dome. On Monday night Louis Walsh's new boyband Hometown will perform and on Tuesday night Ireland's number one country singer Nathan Carter is sure to woo the crowd.

For fans in Ireland and worldwide who want to watch all of the action online, whether live or on-demand, RTÉ Player is the destination for the Rose of Tralee competition, with the international festival being streamed internationally at www.rte.ie/player and through the RTÉ Player app.

RTÉ Player will also present Live from the Red Room at the Rose of Tralee Festival 2014. Presented by Aidan Power the exclusive backstage show will take fans behind the scenes, providing exclusive interviews and music from the Roses and special guests. Live from the Red Room will be shown live, worldwide on RTÉ Player on August 18 and 19 at 21:00 (Irish Standard Time).

RTÉ Player can be viewed at www.rte.ie/player and is available on Android, iOS, Samsung Connected TV, Online, UPC, and Xbox 360.

The Rose of Tralee Festival is celebrating its 55th birthday this year. Thirty-two Roses will represent centres in Abu Dhabi, England, mainland Europe, Ireland, Australia and the United States.