A talented writer, Ireland produced a classic autobiography, All Arms and Elbows (ISBN 0-85184-050-7), and worked as a journalist for the American Road & Track magazine, as well as skippering fishing trawlers in the North Atlantic.
Foi un escritor de talento, Ireland escribiu a clásica biografía, All Arms and Elbows (Todos os brazos e os cóbados) (ISBN 0-85184-050-7), traballou como xornalista para a revista americana Road & Track, así como de patrón dun arrastreiro no Atlántico.