Painter who was educated at the University of Ulster, 1988–89, then gained an honours degree in fine art there, 1989–92, with postgraduate studies at the Royal Academy Schools 1995–8, appearing in the final year show. Group exhibitions included RUA, from 1991; Belfast Young Contemporaries, from 1992; RA Summer Exhibition, from 1996; and he was winner of The Alasdair Gilchrist Fisher Memorial Award 1998, at Cadogan Contemporary. It followed seven earlier awards and by 2005, when he won The Mills Selig Award at the RUA, at Ulster Museum, McWilliams had achieve many more awards and bursaries. He won many other awards, later ones including The Abbey Stained Glass Studios Award, RHA, and Silver Medal, RUA, both 1999. Had solo shows at Cavehill Gallery, Belfast, from 1993, also Solomon Gallery, Dublin, 2000, and Art Space Gallery, 2001.