mək ˈɪlɹɔɪ wʌz fɔːɹ mˈɛni jˈɪɹz ˈɛdɪɾɚɹ ʌvðə fɹˈiːθɪŋkɚ θɹˈiː stˈɪnts: nˈaɪntiːnhˈʌndɹɪd sˈɛvənti sˈɛvənti wˈʌn, nˈaɪntiːnhˈʌndɹɪd sˈɛvənti fˈaɪv dᵻsˈɛmbɚ nˈaɪntiːnhˈʌndɹɪd sˈɛvənti sˈɪks, sɛptˈɛmbɚ nˈaɪntiːnhˈʌndɹɪd ˈeɪɾi wˈʌn dᵻsˈɛmbɚ nˈaɪntiːnhˈʌndɹɪd nˈaɪnti tˈuː ænd dʒˈɛnɚɹəl sˈɛkɹətɹi ʌvðə nˈæʃənəl sˈɛkjʊlɚ səsˈaɪəɾi tˈuː stˈɪnts: nˈaɪntiːnhˈʌndɹɪd sˈɪksti θɹˈiː nˈaɪntiːnhˈʌndɹɪd sˈɛvənti, nˈaɪntiːnhˈʌndɹɪd sˈɛvənti tˈuː nˈaɪntiːnhˈʌndɹɪd sˈɛvənti sˈɛvən.
McIlroy was for many years editor of The Freethinker (three stints: 1970–71, 1975–December 1976, September 1981–December 1992) and general secretary of the National Secular Society (two stints: 1963–1970, 1972–1977).