Ireland wasted his (and Newcastle's) time during that spell on Tyneside, but Alan Pardew insisted after the deal "I would like to bring him back to Newcastle, he was unlucky with injuries".
Ireland has revived his career at the Britannia Stadium after joining the Potters on a loan deal from Aston Villa at the start of the season.
Stoke made the move permanent during the January transfer window and have now tied down the 27-year-old until the end of the 2016-17 season.
Ireland: "It's important for every player to feel wanted and to be a part of a family and to be honest I haven't had that for a long, long time.
"Thankfully I have felt that warmth here at Stoke and truth be told I couldn't really be in a better place than I am at the moment.
"For that, I have to thank the gaffer immensely because he is the main reason why I came here in the first instance, and of course, he is a big factor in why I am delighted to agree this new deal now.
"I have also been able to build a good relationship with the supporters too, and that is very warming to me, because it has been a long time since I have felt loved at a football club."