Born in Ireland, Iris moved to the UK in 1977 to train as a nurse at Lewisham Hospital. This marked the beginning of a remarkable 33-year career in the NHS, including 25 years serving the communities of Dartford and Gravesham, before retiring in 2010.

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Having spent many years in Gravesend, Iris made the town her home in 2002.

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In 2005, Iris and her partner, Thomas, purchased TJ’s, formerly known as The British Tar. They are proud to be the 24th landlords — and, more importantly, custodians — of an historic Gravesend establishment that has served the public for more than 200 years, from 1823 to 2023. Iris and Tom, proudly run the Gravesend Armed Forces & Veterans Breakfast Club, where once a month over 50 local veterans are invited for a free breakfast and peer-to-peer support. 

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It was from the function room at TJ's Pub that KWU first started collecting aid for Ukraine back in 2022. 

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In 2006, Iris had the honour of serving as Mayoress of Gravesham alongside the Mayor, Harry Smith. During that year, Iris met many of the outstanding people, charities, organisations and community groups that help make Gravesham such a special place.

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Iris has a long-standing passion for community involvement and engagement. Over the years, Iris has helped bring residents, councillors, police and local representatives together to address concerns, improve communication and strengthen local partnerships. Iris also serves as Chair of G-Safe, Gravesham’s business crime reduction partnership.

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Outside of her business and community work, Iris is a Member of Rotary and her' interests include spending time with her three dogs, playing golf, local history and reading. Iris is a Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts. 

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In May 2026, Iris was invited by His Majesty the King to attend a Garden Party at Buckingham Palace in recognition of the role that she has played in supporting Ukraine and displaced Ukrainians in Kent since 2022. 

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Iris has undertaken training in Safeguarding Essentials.