Irene was the fourth child of Harmony Alfred Blay and Alice May Guilfoyle. She attended school at the convent at Marrickville and then at St Joan of Arc Convent, Haberfield. She left school at the age of thirteen to work in the officer of a family friend at the markets.
Not long after that she began working for her father in a credit office at Leichhardt. It was here that she met Garnet, a veteran of World War 1. When Irene turned eighteen, they became engaged and Garnet (known as Mick) gave her a beautiful maple glory box lined with blue satin which he had made himself.
After their marriage Irene and Garnet lived at "Albion" Parramatta Road, Ashfield. Garnet was working as a Pattern Maker and was in partnership with George Adams in a business in Parramatta Road, Petersham where they made aeroplane screw propellers. In 1925 the couple moved with their small daughter, Patricia to 14 Stamford Ave, Cabarita. They called their home 'Parenega', a name they created from letters of their names. They remained at "Parenega" for the rest of their married life. She and Garnet had five children.
Irene was 90 years old when she died of Heart Failure. She was buried at Northern Suburbs Catholic Cemetery, North Ryde.

• Married: 06 JUN 1922 in Ashfield, NSW

1. Patricia HANLON b: 08 APR 1923
2. Richard Francis HANLON b: 01 AUG 1926
3. James Michael HANLON b: 18 FEB 1928
4. Garnet John HANLON b: 05 FEB 1929
5. Living HANLON