Hannah O'Donoghue

CRANBERRY TWP — Hannah O'Donoghue has been practicing waving her hand at work, something that will come in handy when she's front and center at Pittsburgh's St. Patrick's Day Parade later this month.

The Cranberry Township woman and Seneca Valley High School graduate will be the 2015 Miss Smiling Irish Eyes Queen during the parade on March 14.

O'Donoghue, 20, a sophomore at Slippery Rock University, is an Irish step dancer at the Bell School of Dance, has visited Ireland multiple times and can trace her lineage back to the Emerald Isle.

The parade, which has been in Pittsburgh for the past 145 years, is one of the largest in the country with more than 150,000 spectators expected.

O'Donoghue said that she's more than ready to step into the spotlight. She will be carried in a carriage pulled by a horse during the parade, and she has been working to perfect her wave to spectators.

“I've already started practicing my wave at work,” she said, laughing. “You can tell I'm excited for it. I hope other people are excited about it, too.”

However, her reaction to being selected paled in comparison to that of her family.

She said her father was very excited to hear the news.

“My grandmother is even flying back from Florida to see the parade. They've all been really supportive.”

Her family's support is important, O'Donoghue said, because her heritage is the only reason she decided to submit an application to become Miss Smiling Irish Eyes.

“Being Irish is something my family takes very seriously,” she said. “My whole life has been centered around that heritage. This is something I wanted to do to keep traditions alive in my family.

“My grandfather recently passed away and he was a huge supporter of Pittsburgh's Irish community.”

The parade will start at 10 a.m. and will feature 200 marching bands, floats and other attractions. The highlight of the parade, according to organizers, is the appearance of the Miss Smiling Irish Eyes and an appearance from St. Patrick himself.

O'Donoghue, who is studying marketing at SRU, has an extensive background in volunteering for organizations like the Miracle League in Cranberry and organizations at Slippery Rock.

While at Seneca Valley, O'Donoghue was captain of the cheerleading squad, a manager of the wrestling team and an honor roll student.

Peggy Cooney, who presides over the selection committee for the Miss Smiling Irish Eyes, said O'Donoghue fits the type of person the committee was looking for.

“She is a great pick,” Cooney said. “She comes from a very strong Irish family and is a great representative for the parade.”

Cooney said O'Donoghue's volunteerism, strong academic standing and civic involvement were all factors in her selection.