Edward McKay was born in Stirling in 1906. He was educated at Blairs seminary in Aberdeen from 1921 to 1924. He then went to Scots College Rome from 1924 until 1931 and upon completion of his studies was ordained there. His first Parish was Our Lady of Perpetual Succour in Kirkcaldy where he served as assistant Priest from 1931 until 1934. After this he was transferred to Our Lady and St Bride's Cowdenbeath from 1934 to 1935. He then spent 3 years from 1935 to 1938 in St Joseph's Kelty in Fife. His next posting was to last almost 5 years, still as an assistant priest, to Holy Cross Parish in Edinburgh.

It was from Holy Cross in Edinburgh that Fr Edward McKay then came to St Patrick's Kilsyth from 1942 to 1944 as assistant Priest to Canon Michael Downey. His stay in Kilsyth in the middle of the second world war was to last only 2 years as he was then moved to St Anthony's Polmont near Falkirk.

His stay at St Anthony's was interrupted by ill health and he was granted a period of sick leave from 1945 until 1946. On his return from sick leave he was lent to the Glasgow Archdiocese and was posted to St Teresa's Glasgow which only lasted a year. It is not known whether Fr McKay was eventually overcome by his illness but after this date as there are no further entries for him in the records of St Andrew's and Edinburgh Archdiocese.