His academic posts have included Honorary Fellow in Writing at the University of Iowa (1984), Heimbold Visiting Professor at Villanova University (2006) and Writer Fellow at Trinity College, Dublin (1995–1996). Barry started his literary career with the novel "Macker's Garden" in 1982. This was followed by several books of poetry and a further novel, "The Engine of Owl-Light" in 1987, before his career as a playwright began with his first play produced in the Abbey Theatre, "Boss Grady's Boys" in 1988.