Irene worked in Halifax, in the Accounting Office of the Maritime Telephone and Telegraph Company from August 1952 to June 1953. In September she joined the Congregation of the Sisters of St. Martha. After taking some science courses at St. Dunstan's and home economics courses at Prince of Wales, she went to St. F.X. in Antigonish in 1956 where she graduated with a Bachelor of Science, (summa cum laude) in Home Economics in 1958. From August, 1958 to June 1959 Irene was a substitute dietitian at the Charlottetown Hospital. In September of 1959 she began teaching Home Economics courses at St. Dunstan's . In the summer of 1965 she started work on a M.Sc program at Iowa State University. In subsequent summers and in 1969-70, on sabbatical leave from St. Dunstan's , she completed this work and obtained a M.Sc in Home Economics (with a major in Textiles and Clothing). Having obtained an additional leave for study from UPEI, Irene moved into the Ph. D . program in Home Economics Education at State. She returned to teach in the Home Economics Department at UPEI in September, 1970. After three more summers of study at State, Irene successfully defended her research project in 1974 and was awarded a Ph. D . in Home Economics, with a minor in Textiles and Clothing. Irene has been interested in the advancement of women. During her sabbatical leaves from UPEI she focused on this topic. In 1981 she spent several months in Nicaragua learning about conditions in general and women's activities in particular In 1984, Irene along with three others (including her sister, Marie ) left the Sisters of St. Martha. She continued to teach Home Economics at UPEI until her retirement in 1994. For ten years Irene has worked in a solidarity group for . She is a founding member of Cooper Institute in Charlottetown and continues to do volunteer work for that organization. She is also a member of the Diocesan Latin American Mission Program and is active in ALERT, a local anti-poverty organization. For the past few months Irene has been working on the PEI Home Economics Publishing committee, preparing material for publication on the history of Home Economics on PEI . She compiled and printed a history of the Burge family and is currently researching the Whitty family. Irene has done a fair bit of traveling - to , Florida , New Zealand and , Boston, and the . She likes show jumping and figure skating, as a spectator only.