Don't 'paws' and think twice -- vote Longford's Nora for Nose of Tralee

People describe dogs as ‘man’s best friend’ but Nora is everybody’s friend. This Ballinamuck poochie makes herself the centre of attention with her friendly wags and teddy bear texture that nobody can or should ignore.

Nora is a 3-year-old, Red Setter poodle with the softest temperament that anyone would want to see in a dog. She is well behaved and sociable, and won the hearts of many when she appeared at the Ballinamuck Olde Fair. Her owners, Rachael and Tess Murphy, would like to win the Nose of Tralee, and it is not hard to see why.

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As part of the competition, a pet was entered to represent each county like a pageant. There were over 1,500 entries for the 32 counties, and Nora was selected for Longford. Below, is her bio which is with her photograph when looking through the 32 selected finalists:

“Nora sparks joy. As a family, we have always had dogs. My parents got the first family dog in 1969 and there has always been one or two or three in the house since then. Until 2019. Our previous dog, Milly, died and, due to COVID and a family tragedy it just never seemed to be the right time. Until we met Nora. We saw her picture, did the research and she leapt into Dad’s arms and that was it. We hadn’t realised what we were missing as a family until Nora came home. She fell in love with her animal family of two cats and we fell in love with her. Her sense of fun, her love of toys [...]”

Nora is described by her owner, Rachael Murphy, as being “friendly and fun.” As to why everyone should vote for Nora, Rachael added:

“People should vote for Nora because like Longford people she is strong, loyal and friendly. She sparks joy wherever she goes. She represents all that is wonderful about having a dog – companionship, comfort, fun, love. She is the dog we all deserve.”

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Voting is now open on https://www.petsitters ireland.com/nose-2025/ so go and help Nora win.