[1] Hanran was born in Limerick, Ireland, the son of Corporal Francis Hanrahan and his wife Bridget (née Hayes).

His family came to Australia in 1834 when his father was appointed commandant of the Bowens Hollow Convict settlement and was educated at the Christian Brothers School in Sydney.

On leaving school he worked at the family commission agency in Sydney before going gold mining in Victoria, New South Wales, and New Zealand.

[3][4] At the 1899 Queensland colonial election he joined his Ministerial colleague, Robert Philp as the member for Townsville, defeating the Labour pairing of Anthony Ogden and Thomas Foley and the at the time Independent politician, William Lennon.

Hanran died in August 1916 and his funeral proceeded from his former residence at Melton Hill to the West End Cemetery.