[6] When Barry's family was evicted from their home by their Anglo-Irish landlord, they moved to Rosslare on the coast, where his uncle worked a fishing skiff.

[8] Barry eventually left his native country and immigrated to the American colonies, where merchant fleets were in need of experienced sailors.

[11] On June 28, the Pennsylvania brig Nancy, carrying 386 barrels of powder in her hold, ran aground while attempting to elude British blockader Kingfisher.

A delayed action fuse was left inside the brig, exploding and killing seven members of a boarding party from Kingfisher which had just climbed aboard Nancy.

[15] In 1778, Barry assumed his third command, USS Raleigh, capturing three prizes before being run aground while fighting an action on September 27, 1778.

[18] He and his crew of the USS Alliance fought and won the final naval battle of the American Revolution 140 miles (230 km) south of Cape Canaveral on March 10, 1783.

This ship transported commissioners William Richardson Davie and Oliver Ellsworth to France to negotiate a new Franco-American alliance.

[22] Barry's last day of active duty was March 6, 1801, when he brought USS United States into port, but he remained head of the Navy until his death on September 13, 1803, from asthma.

[23] Barry died at Strawberry Hill, in present-day Philadelphia on September 13, 1803, and was buried in the graveyard of St. Mary's Roman Catholic Church.