Meet your Westmeath celebrity – the 2025 Westmeath Nose of Tralee, Apollo.
Name: Apollo
County: Westmeath
Age: 1 year
Breed: Collie/Shepherd Mix
Special Skill: Make you fall in love with him in an instance and get all the treats and belly rubs he wants by staring into your soul with his beautiful puppy dog eyes
Favourite Food: Chicken tenders
Favourite toy: any squeaky tennis balls
Favourite Place To Sleep: dog moms bed
Favourite Activity: playing ball or herding the cats 🤭
Favourite place to go for a walk/hangout: to the local forest or lake
Most mischievous thing you have ever done: jumped up on the kitchen counter to look out the window with the cats
How did you come into your owner’s life? after a massive heartbreak and hard time of losing her soul dog and cat within 4 weeks of each other, she struggled to cope with the emptiness and mental health and then seen me and instantly fell in love.
What makes you the most pawtastic pet ever? the most cuddliest and kindest dog there is, always making people smile and laugh wherever I go, bringing smiles to everyone on the streets of our county and making their day by showing off my tricks and goofy side, love everyone equally and sharing all my love with anyone I meet.
Why did you decide to enter the nose of Tralee? I wanted to show off my handsome boy Apollo in all of Ireland and what a great dog he is, how he loves unconditionally, makes people laugh and smile anywhere he goes, everyone deserves happiness in their life and Apollo did just that, he made people smile and share his love with them, he is spreading awareness for mental health and how he has changed my life and still is everyday.
How did you prepare for the contest and get votes? contacted all our friends and family to let them know to be prepared for daily voting and was sending them the links to make it easier for them.
What did you enjoy most about the nose of Tralee? we loved making all the new friends we have now and enjoyed canvassing for votes, very happy to be representing our county.
What advice would you give to the next nose of your county? enjoy the time, it all flies by so quick and make sure while canvassing you also take it all in and enjoy it, that’s the most important thing in my opinion is to not drain yourself and have fun sharing your fur baby and meeting new friends.
How are you handling your newfound fame? we took a day or two to chill out and take it all in, we are so so happy and proud to be representing our county this year and enjoying lots of forest walks and new toys!
If you could be any superhero who would you be? Apollo would choose to be invisible as he tries to be sneaky but his size he is always spotted, but Apollo was named after one of the Greek gods who was the god of many things but especially healing and light is what caught our eye so he is a special boy already
Where can your fans follow you online? Instagram: apollo_colliex and TikTok: apollo_colliex
Kate McQuillan is the co-founder of Pet Sitters Ireland, an award-winning pet sitting and dog walking company established in 2010 with her husband, Michael. Together, they support thousands of pet owners across Ireland with trusted, in-home pet care. With over 14 years of experience, Kate shares practical advice to help pet owners feel confident and prepared when it comes to their pet’s care.
