At the time of her election and consecration in 1996 she became the fourth woman in the Episcopal Church to hold the office of bishop.
In 1968, she earned a Master of Letters (MLitt) degree in moral philosophy from Linacre College, University of Oxford.
She held honorary doctoral degrees from Virginia Theological Seminary, Westminster College in Salt Lake City, the University of Utah, The Church Divinity School of the Pacific, the Salt Lake Community College, and Utah State University.
She was appointed archdeacon in the Diocese of Michigan in 1986, and later served on the staff of the Shalem Institute for Spiritual Formation, and the Washington National Cathedral.
All 22 churches and a number of ministries have benefited from Project Jubilee grants and loans that purchased land, paid mortgages, assisted construction, and made the very existence of several parishes a reality.
Peter and Paul, which resulted from the sale of St. Mark's Hospital under her predecessor, Bishop George Bates.
Irish also followed a policy of financial transparency, so all could see the monetary blessings the diocese has had to enrich its work and outreach.
Irish also served on the Standing Committee on Ecumenical Relations for the National Episcopal Church and the Advisory Board of the Shalem Institute for Spiritual Formation as well as the boards of directors of the Tanner Lectures on Human Values and the Nature Conservancy of Utah.