Barry McStay

Barry McStay is an Irish writer and actor based in London.

His debut play, Our Island (dir. Maisie Lee) ran at the Project Arts Centre at the Dublin Fringe Festival 2015. It was nominated for 5 Dublin Fringe Awards and shortlisted for a Writers Guild of Ireland Award. Vespertilio (dir. Lucy Jane Atkinson) was his UK debut play, winning a Show Of The Week Award at VAULT Festival 2019. Vespertilio later ran at the Dublin Fringe Festival and in 2021 was streamed as part of the King's Head Theatre's 'Plays on Film'. Breeding produced by Gabriella Sills Productions in association with Mark Gatiss, ran at the King's Head Theatre in 2023 (dir. Matthew Iliffe) and 2025 (dir. Tom Ratcliffe), receiving an Off-West End Award nomination.

Barry's other work includes: Bir Tawil (dir. Caitriona McLaughlin) for Druid Theatre, Galway International Arts Festival 2017; The First (dir. Emily Jenkins) for VAULT Festival 2020; The Light for Fishamble's “A Play For Ireland” initiative, and Come On You Boys In Green which was named one of Fishamble's Tiny Plays For A Brighter Future. His work has been longlisted for the Bruntwood, Theatre 503 and Papatango writing awards. His debut screen project, One More (Soft Stix) was selected in multiple festivals in 2024 including the BAFTA-qualifying Aesthetica Short Film Festival. Barry’s acting credits include Doctor Who: Time Fracture (Immersive LDN), Eastenders and Mark Gatiss’s A Ghost Story For Christmas (BBC).

Photo Credit: Michael Carlo