{"id":864,"date":"2014-03-14T04:01:00","date_gmt":"2014-03-14T04:01:00","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/newsinteractive.post-gazette.com\/thedigs\/?p=864"},"modified":"2015-01-09T15:51:07","modified_gmt":"2015-01-09T20:51:07","slug":"march-1969-miss-smiling-irish-eyes-one-of-the","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/newsinteractive.post-gazette.com\/thedigs\/2014\/03\/14\/march-1969-miss-smiling-irish-eyes-one-of-the\/","title":{"rendered":"Miss Smiling Irish Eyes"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"\" <\/a> <\/div>
\"Eileen <\/a>
Eileen Joyce, crowned in 1976, with County Commissioner Tom Foerster, left, and parade chair Edward Fay. (Kent Badger\/The Pittsburgh Press) <\/div> <\/div> <\/div>
\"At <\/a>
At a 1994 get-together: Maura Jennings (1993), Maureen Durkin (1972), Margaret Philbin (1974), Mary Madigan Kennedy (1960). (Robert J. Pavuchak\/Post-Gazette) <\/div> <\/div> <\/div> <\/div>
\"Patti <\/a>
Patti Burns, future KDKA news anchor, was crowned in 1967. (Pittsburgh Press photo) <\/div> <\/div> <\/div>
\"Patricia <\/a>
Patricia Ann Cloonan, center, wore the crown in 1992. Her attendants were Julieann Jennings, left, and Meghan King. (Tony Tye\/Post-Gazette) <\/div> <\/div> <\/div> <\/div> <\/div>\n

One of the stars of Pittsburgh\u2019s annual St. Patrick\u2019s Day Parade is the young woman crowned Miss Smiling Irish Eyes. The honor, presented for more than 50 years, promotes Irish culture and heritage.<\/p>\n

Applicants must be between the ages of 17 and 22, of Irish birth or descent and of good moral character. Involvement in the community and Irish culture is a must. Of course, winners march or ride in the annual parade.<\/p>\n

One of the earliest recipients was Mary Madigan Kennedy, who was active with the Irish Society for Education and Charity, the parade\u2019s umbrella organization. She died in 2012 but her sister, Peggy Cooney of Green Tree, still runs the competition.<\/p>\n

Miss Smiling Irish Eyes of 1967 was Patti Burns, who became a respected news anchor at KDKA-TV. Ms. Burns died of lung cancer at age 49 in 2001.<\/p>\n

Patricia Ann Cloonan, 22, of Ross, won in 1992 and was invited to compete for the title of Maiden of the Mournes. That event, designed to promote tourism in Northern Ireland, is still held in the seaside town of Warrenpoint, \u00a0near a mountain range called the Mournes.<\/p>\n

\u201cSince then, we have sent our Miss Smiling Irish Eyes every year,\u201d Mrs. Cooney said. The young women participate in a week of events and meet people from all over the world. Ms. Cloonan is married, has four children and owns a local restaurant.<\/p>\n

Laura Allison, another Miss Smiling Irish Eyes, became the first American woman to win Maiden of the Mournes. She received 500 pounds, a lovely piece of jewelry, some Irish china and an invitation to return the following year as a judge.<\/p>\n

In 1993,\u00a0Maura\u00a0Jennings Stacey of Penn Hills was Miss Smiling Irish Eyes during the blizzard that descended on the St. Patrick\u2019s Day Parade of that year. Snow was falling heavily when the parade started at 10 a.m. By day\u2019s end, more than 23 inches of snow blanketed the city.<\/p>\n

\u201cFor some reason, I had tennis shoes on,\u201d Mrs. Stacey recalled. Film footage of the parade appeared on \u00a0television news broadcasts in Philadelphia.<\/p>\n

\u201cThere were a few bagpipers. No one stopped because you just wanted to get done,\u201d Mrs. Stacey said.<\/p>\n

Later, she traveled with her family to Ireland to compete in the Maid of the Mournes contest.<\/p>\n

\u201cMy mom had never been to Ireland. My Dad got to reconnect with his family. All of his cousins are over there. It turned out to be a blessing,\u201d Mrs. Stacey recalled.<\/p>\n

Others who have worn the crown include Meredith McDonough, now a television news caster in Orlando, Fla., and Megan Schiller, a news caster in South Bend, Ind. Rita Allison earned a doctorate in English literature and is teaching.<\/p>\n

Lauren Byrne, crowned in 2002, is executive director of Lawrenceville United, a community organization. Her sister, Bridget Byrne, won in 2009. She is a teaching associate at the Neighborhood Academy in Stanton Heights.<\/p>\n

This year\u2019s winner is Ciara Scanlon Crossey<\/a>. She\u2019ll be crowned today at the Rivers Club, Downtown<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Finally, Margaret Philbin, crowned in 1974, jokes that she was three when she won. Now a public information officer with the U.S. Attorney\u2019s Office, she joined other women who have worn the crown for a reunion in 2012 by marching in the parade together that year.<\/p>\n

\u201cI did it in heels. That\u2019s what I\u2019m really proud of,\u201d Ms. Philbin said.<\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

The honor, presented in Pittsburgh for more than 50 years, promotes Irish culture and heritage.<\/p>\n

Look at the picturesMiss Smiling Irish Eyes<\/span><\/a><\/p>","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":865,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"gallery","meta":{"jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_is_tweetstorm":false,"jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true},"categories":[948],"tags":[1009,1016,1176,1033,1034],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"acf":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/newsinteractive.post-gazette.com\/thedigs\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/03\/tumblr_n2eb3at8Jm1rr5swxo2_1280-e1418791677160.jpg?fit=1075%2C661&ssl=1","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":458,"url":"https:\/\/newsinteractive.post-gazette.com\/thedigs\/2014\/07\/16\/climbing-the-worlds-largest-crane\/","url_meta":{"origin":864,"position":0},"title":"Climbing the \u2018world\u2019s largest crane\u2019","date":"July 16, 2014","format":"gallery","excerpt":"A massive, 333-foot crane had been brought in to assist with the construction of a Hilton Hotel.","rel":"","context":"","img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/newsinteractive.post-gazette.com\/thedigs\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/07\/tumblr_n8rr49HXFn1rr5swxo4_1280.jpg?fit=871%2C864&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":1872,"url":"https:\/\/newsinteractive.post-gazette.com\/thedigs\/2013\/04\/17\/m-jane-scully-pittsburgh-advocate-for-women-justice-and-peace\/","url_meta":{"origin":864,"position":1},"title":"M. 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