Derry Girls (TV Series)

Derry Girls is a television series that follows the daily lives and social interactions of five teenagers in Northern Ireland during the 1990s. Created by Lisa McGee, the show was released over three seasons between 2018 and 2022. Classified as a comedy, it is a British production with episodes lasting approximately 22 minutes. The series originally aired on Channel 4 and was later made available on various international platforms.

Plot and Themes

The series is set against the backdrop of the long-standing political and sectarian tensions between Catholic and Protestant communities in Northern Ireland known as The Troubles. The main characters are Erin, Orla, Clare, Michelle and James, who comes from England. All the characters attend a Catholic secondary school. The show portrays the ordinary experiences of adolescence—school, family and friendships—interwoven with the political atmosphere of the era in a humorous narrative.

In this way, the series constructs a fictional story that connects themes such as adolescence, identity, belonging and social pressure with their historical context. The indirect or direct relationships between the young characters and the political climate unfold in parallel with their personal development.

Characters

Erin Quinn (Saoirse-Monica Jackson): Erin is the central character and an observant teenager who often reflects inwardly on her experiences. She navigates typical adolescent challenges in her relationships with her family and school environment.

Orla McCool (Louisa Harland): Orla is an energetic and imaginative character who frequently brings humor to the group through her impulsive and sometimes irresponsible behavior.

Michelle Mallon (Jamie-Lee O'Donnell): Michelle is a strong and confident teenager who often draws attention with her bold and rebellious attitude.

Clare Devlin (Nicola Coughlan): Clare is intelligent and disciplined. Her loyalty to her family and strong sense of responsibility make her the most orderly member of the group.

James Maguire (Dylan Llewellyn): James, Michelle’s cousin, moves from England to Northern Ireland and struggles to adapt to his new environment, offering a different cultural perspective. He is the only male in the group.

Erin, Michelle, James, Orla and Clare (IMDb)

Mary Quinn (Tara Lynne O’Neill): Mary, Erin’s mother, is a traditional figure who takes on the responsibilities of the household and embodies authority within the family.

Sarah McCool (Kathy Kiera Clarke): Sarah, Orla’s mother, is a kind but careless character who is overly focused on appearances, both her own and those of others around her.

Gerry Quinn (Tommy Tiernan): Gerry, Erin’s father, strives to maintain balance within the family. Despite his strained relationship with his father-in-law and the sarcastic attitudes of those around him, he tries to remain reasonable.

Joe McCool (Ian McElhinney): The father of Mary and Sarah, Joe is the grandfather of Erin, Orla and Anna. He is protective toward his daughters and grandchildren.

Sister Michael (Siobhán McSweeney): Erin’s high school teacher and head nun at Our Lady Immaculate College, Sister Michael is an influential figure known for her disciplined and sometimes authoritarian demeanor.

Gerry, Mary and Sarah (IMDb)

Critical Reception and Awards

The series has received high praise from both critics and audiences. On Rotten Tomatoes, it holds a 99% critic score and a 95% audience score. Its IMDb rating is 8.5.

Derry Girls has achieved significant success at the BAFTA Television Awards. Below is a list of its wins and nominations:

• Female Performance in a Comedy Programme (2023) (Siobhán McSweeney), (Best Female Comedy Performance) — Won
• Writer, Comedy (2023) (Lisa McGee, Brian J. Falconer), (Comedy Writer) — Won
• Scripted Comedy (2023) (Lisa McGee, Liz Lewin, Caroline Leddy, Michael Lennox, Brian J. Falconer, Jessica Sharkey), (Scripted Comedy / Best Comedy Series) — Won
• P&O Cruises Memorable Moment (For "The Finale, the people of Northern Ireland vote overwhelmingly for peace") (2023), (P&O Cruises Memorable Moment) ("In the finale, the people of Northern Ireland vote overwhelmingly for peace") — Nominated
• Scripted Comedy (Lisa McGee, Michael Lennox, Sam Pinnell) (2020), (Scripted Comedy / Best Comedy Series) — Nominated
• Best Scripted Comedy Programme (Lisa McGee, Michael Lennox, Caroline Leddy, Liz Lewin) (2019), (Best Scripted Comedy Programme) — Nominated

Production and Background Information

Lisa McGee developed the series partly based on her own teenage memories. The characters’ speech patterns, settings and social interactions contain autobiographical elements. The social and cultural fabric of the city of Derry plays a significant role in the show.

A scene from the series (IMDb)

Series-Related Information

According to creator Lisa McGee, the favorite films of the five main characters are as follows:

• Erin claims to favor the film Three Colors: Blue (1993), but actually prefers Beetlejuice (1988).
• Orla chooses Ace Ventura: When Nature Calls (1995).
• Michelle names The Exorcist (1973) as her favorite.
• Clare loves The Little Mermaid (1989).
• James says his favorite is The Godfather (1972), but in fact prefers Ghost (1990).

Siobhán McSweeney, who portrays Sister Michael, broke her right leg in a cycling accident during a different project in 2021. This unfortunate incident led to the character appearing in the third season with a walking stick, a detail the producers incorporated into the script.

In January 2019, a large mural featuring the five main characters was painted on the wall of the Badgers Bar and Restaurant building in Derry. It is a tradition in Northern Ireland to decorate the exterior walls of buildings with murals that depict cultural and political history.