Ireland was educated at the Royal Dockyard School, Portsmouth, and the University of Southampton.^{[citation needed]}

Ireland worked for the Defence Research Agency in ship research.^{[citation needed]} He wrote or coauthored 47 books,^{[citation needed]} as well as contributing to journals and partworks on subjects related to ships and naval campaigns.

Ireland was married and had two children. He died on 8 February 2019.^{[citation needed]}

• Warships of the world: major classes. London: Ian Allan, 1976. ISBN 0-711-00687-3
• Warships: from sail to the nuclear age. London: Hamlyn, 1978. ISBN 0-600-39397-6
• The rise and fall of the aircraft carrier. London: Marshall Cavendish, 1979. ISBN 0-856-85711-4
• Warships of the world: escort vessels. London: Ian Allan, 1979. ISBN 0-711-00896-5
• Warships of the world: submarines & fast attack craft. London: Ian Allan, 1980. ISBN 0-711-00976-7
• Cruisers. London: Hamlyn, 1981. ISBN 0-600-32127-4
• Navies of the West. New York: Hippocrene Books, 1984. ISBN 0-882-54977-4
• Warship construction. London: Ian Allan, 1987. ISBN 0-711-01594-5
• Sea power 2000. London: Arms and Armour, 1990. ISBN 0-853-68979-2
• The War in the Mediterranean 1940-1943. London: Arms and Armour, 1993. ISBN 1-854-09070-4
• Jane's Battleships of the 20th Century. New York: HarperCollins, 1996. ISBN 0-004-70997-7
• Warships of World War II. Glasgow: HarperCollins, 1996. ISBN 0-004-70872-5
• Jane's War at Sea, 1897-1997. With Eric Grove. New York: HarperCollins, 1997. ISBN 0-004-72065-2
• Jane's Naval History of WWII. New York: HarperCollins, 1998. ISBN 0-004-72143-8
• History of Ships. London: Hamlyn, 1999. ISBN 0-600-59590-0
• Naval Warfare in the Age of Sail. London: Ted Smart, 2000. ISBN 0-007-62906-0
• War at Sea, 1914-1945. London: Cassell, 2002. ISBN 0-304-35340-X
• The battle of the Atlantic. Barnsley: Pen & Sword, 2003. ISBN 1-844-15001-1
• Válka ve Středomoří: 1940-1943. Prague: Naše vojsko, 2003. ISBN 8-020-60697-1
• The fall of Toulon: the last opportunity to defeat the French Revolution. London: Weidenfeld & Nicolson, 2005. ISBN 0-297-84612-4
• The illustrated guide to aircraft carriers of the world. London: Hermes House, 2005. ISBN 1-844-77747-2
• Leyte Gulf 1944: the world's greatest sea battle. Oxford: Osprey Publishing, 2006. ISBN 1-841-76978-9
• Aircraft Carriers of the World. London: Anness, 2007. ISBN 1-844-76363-3
• Vliegdekschepen. With Gerjan van Oosten. Utrecht: Veltman Uitgevers, 2007. ISBN 9-059-20598-7
• The world encyclopedia of cruisers. London: Lorenz (Anness), 2008. ISBN 0-754-81773-3
• The world encyclopedia of destroyers and frigates. London: Lorenz (Anness), 2008. ISBN 0-754-81867-5

• Royal Dockyard School, Portsmouth