WESTFIELD – Next month, the city’s 34th colleen will be crowned and represent Westfield and the Sons of Erin at numerous events, culminating with the Holyoke St. Patrick’s Parade.
Colleen Contest organizer Tracy Oleksak said the competition is as much about bonding as being crowned. A member of the 1991 Colleen Court, Oleksak still keeps in touch with the girls who rode on the float with her
“It’s really about forming friendships and bonds,” she said. “You feel like you’re part of something bigger because you’re proud of your heritage.”
“The colleen and her court not only spend time together, but with other collen courts from the area. They are part of this great community,” she said of the contestants.
Oleksak said the colleen tradition honors Irish heritage. It’s not just a beauty contest.
“It honors their academics, their intelligence and their ancestry – it’s not just a beauty contest,” said Oleksak. “More than half of their scores are judged from an interview.”
The judges are not affiliated with the Sons of Erin and are not Westfield residents. Oleksak said in the past, if there was any kind of connection between a contestant and a judge, a new judge was selected.
“It is very objective,” she said.
Oleksak and another former colleen court member, Kerry Tymeson, lead the Colleen Committee for the Sons of Erin and enjoy the process. Oleksak said the contestants first meet at a breakfast and spend time together rehearsing for the Colleen Ball, which takes place Feb. 6 this year at Chez Joseph. They also learn traditional Irish dances, including jigs and reels, to perform together.
“It is a lot of fun and so many of the girls come back every year to continue the tradition and help the girls,” Oleksak said.
Applications for the 34th annual Colleen Contest are now available at the Sons of Erin Club located at 22 William St., in Westfield and also at Westfield High School, Westfield Voc-Tech High School, St. Mary’s High School, Gateway Regional High School and Southwick-Tolland-Granville Regional School. Applications must be postmarked by the date indicated on the application to be entered.
Interested contestants must be between the ages of 17 and 22, of Irish heritage, have never been married and have no children. An applicant must be a resident of Westfield, Southwick, Granville, Blandford, Chester, Huntington, Montgomery, Russell or be a daughter of a member of the Sons of Erin.
The Colleen and her court will represent the Sons of Erin and Westfield at various events in 2015 including the Holyoke St. Patrick’s Day Parade. Among other prizes, the Colleen will receive a voucher for a trip to Ireland.
Tickets to the ball will be available soon at the Sons of Erin.
