McGuinness was born in Buncrana, a town located on the Inishowen Peninsula of County Donegal, Ireland. He was educated locally and at University College Dublin, where he studied Pure English and medieval studies to postgraduate level.
He first came to prominence with his play The Factory Girls, but established his reputation with his play about World War I, Observe the Sons of Ulster Marching Towards the Somme, which was staged in Dublin's Abbey Theatre and internationally. It won numerous awards including the London Evening Standard Award for Most Promising Playwright for McGuinness. He has also written new versions of classic dramas, including works by Henrik Ibsen, Anton Chekhov, and Euripides, adapting the literal translations of others. In addition, he wrote the screenplay for the film Dancing at Lughnasa, adapting the stage play by fellow Irishman (and, indeed, fellow Ulsterman) Brian Friel.
McGuinness's first poetry anthology, Booterstown, was published in 1994. Several of his poems have been recorded by Marianne Faithfull, including Electra, After the Ceasefire and The Wedding.
McGuinness previously lectured in Linguistics and Drama at the University of Ulster, Medieval Studies at University College, Dublin and English at the National University of Ireland, Maynooth. Then he was a writer-in-residence lecturing at University College Dublin before being appointed Professor of creative writing in the School of English, Drama and Film at University College Dublin.
Ladybag (Damer Hall, Dublin for Dublin Theatre Festival, 1985)
Baglady (Abbey, 1985)
Observe the Sons of Ulster Marching Towards the Somme (Abbey, 1985; Hampstead Theatre, London, 1986)
Innocence (Gate Theatre, Dublin, 1986)
Times In It (Peacock stage of Abbey Theatre, Dublin 1988: triple bill consisting of 'Feed the Money and Keep Them Coming'; 'Brides of Ladybag' and 'Flesh and Blood')
Carthaginians (Abbey, 1988; Hampstead, 1989)
Mary and Lizzie (RSC, 1989)
The Bread Man (Gate, 1991)
Someone Who'll Watch Over Me (Hampstead, West End and Broadway, 1992)
The Bird Sanctuary (Abbey, 1993)
Mutabilitie (RNT, 1997)
Dolly West's Kitchen (Abbey, 1999)
Speaking Like Magpies (RSC, The Swan Theatre, Straford-upon-Avon, 2005)
Gates of Gold (Gate Theatre, Dublin, 2002. UK premiere Finborough Theatre, 2004. West End transfer 2006.)
There Came a Gypsy Riding (Almeida Theatre, London, 2007)
The Holy Moley Jesus Story (Greash Theatre, Dublin, 2008)
Greta Garbo Came to Donegal (Tricycle Theatre, London, 2010)
Selected Adaptations
Rosmersholm by Henrik Ibsen (RNT, 1987)
Peer Gynt by Henrik Ibsen (Gate, 1988; RSC and world tour, 1994)
Hedda Gabler by Henrik Ibsen (Roundabout Theatre, Broadway, 1994)
A Doll's House by Henrik Ibsen (Playhouse Theatre, Broadway, 1997)
Three Sisters by Anton Chekhov (Gate and Royal Court, 1990)
Uncle Vanya by Anton Chekhov (Field Day Production, 1995)
Yerma by Federico García Lorca (Abbey, 1987)
The Threepenny Opera by Bertolt Brecht (Gate, 1987)
The Caucasian Chalk Circle by Bertolt Brecht (RNT, 1997)
Electra by Sophocles (Donmar and Broadway)
The Storm by Aleksandr Ostrovsky (Almeida)
Hecuba by Euripides
Phaedra by Seneca
Oedipus by Sophocles (Royal National Theatre)
Helen by Euripides (Shakespeare's Globe, 2008)
Screenplays
Dancing at Lughnasa (adaptation of play by Brian Friel)
A Short Stay in Switzerland (BBC TV, 2009, based on the true story of Dr Anne Turner)
