Queen of the Green in D.C. for St. Paddy's

Aoife Kelly, the 2008 International Rose of Tralee, at an Irish Embassy reception at the St. Regis Tuesday. (Amy Argetsinger/The Washington Post)Enlarge Image

All the Irish faces you'd expect turned out for the Irish Embassy's super-packed Saint Patrick's Day reception at the St. Regis -- Maryland Gov. Martin O'Malley and Reps. Elton Gallegly (Calif.) and Peter King (N.Y.), and the just-named U.S. ambassador to Ireland, Pittsburgh Steelers owner Dan Rooney.

But only one wore a sash: Aoife Kelly, the reigning Rose of Tralee. Which is sort of like Miss Ireland, except open to young women of Irish descent from around the world -- but, no, not like that at all, the Tipperary occupational therapist told us.

"They look at your education, values and beliefs, and your capacity for community service, and your communication skills." Also: No swimsuit competition. But: She is very, very, very pretty.

Kelly spent her first time in D.C. promoting Irish tourism and industry. Wasn't she missing important Saint Paddy's business back home? Not so much: "In Ireland we're all Irish, more or less."