Although Barry's entire adult life was lived as a man, Barry was born Margaret Ann Bulkley and was known as female in childhood. Barry's birth sex only becoming known to the public and to military colleagues after death.
Performed the first caesarean section in Africa by an Irish surgeon in which both the mother and child survived the operation.
Barry was a military surgeon in the British Army and had risen to the rank of Inspector General in charge of military hospitals, the second highest medical office in the British Army.