She went on to enter Trinity College Dublin (TCD), graduating with a BA in modern literature with a gold medal in 1918.

[1] Barrington's first published work was an article on the treatment of women students in TCD's College Miscellany of 5 June 1918.

As she continued to publish, she regularly attended George William Russell's gatherings, meeting such figures as W. B. Yeats and James Stephens.

In August 1924, she contributed a short story entitled Colour to Francis Stuart's journal To-morrow, which tackled sexual and racial taboos.

The following years were the most productive of her life, when she translated, wrote, organised support of republicans in the Spanish Civil War, and assisted refugees from Nazi Germany.

She was a supporter of the British Labour Party, taking on the women's column of the left-wing paper Tribune in November 1938.

[1] Upon the outbreak of World War II, Barrington returned to Ireland, living in Leap, County Cork with friends Ewart Milne and Stella Jackson.