Derry Girls

Did You Know?

• A Derry Girls book titled Erin's Diary: An Official Derry Girls Book was released on 12 November 2020 by Trapeze Books.
• In April 2022, a special one-off edition of the defunct British magazine Smash Hits featured Derry Girls to promote its third series.
• A mural of the main characters painted on the side of Badgers Bar and Restaurant at 18 Orchard Street, Derry, has become a popular tourist attraction.

Cast and characters

Saoirse-Monica Jackson plays Erin Quinn, a 16-year-old passionate and ambitious girl with literary aspirations who can be vain and self-centred. Louisa Harland portrays Orla McCool, Erin's 15-year-old maternal cousin who is detached, eccentric, addicted to sweets, and often misses social cues. Nicola Coughlan appears as Clare Devlin, the intelligent and studious voice of reason who comes out as a lesbian at the end of series one. Jamie-Lee O'Donnell plays Michelle Mallon, the wild member of the group whose interest in sex, drugs, and alcohol frequently gets her friends into trouble. Dylan Llewellyn portrays James Maguire, Michelle's maternal cousin from London who becomes the first male pupil at Our Lady Immaculate College; the girls mock him but eventually accept him as a Derry Girl, and everyone believes he is gay despite his protests. Tara Lynne O'Neill plays Mary Quinn, Erin and Anna's mother and the Quinn family matriarch, married to Gerry for 17 years. Tommy Tiernan portrays Gerry Quinn, a delivery driver from Navan who tries to be the voice of reason amid mockery from his father-in-law. Kathy Kiera Clarke plays Sarah McCool, Orla's mother and Mary's younger sister, who is sweet but dim-witted and an inattentive yet affectionate parent. Ian McElhinney portrays Joe McCool, Mary and Sarah's father, who moved in with the Quinns after his wife died and constantly criticises Gerry.

Production

Filming took place in Northern Ireland, mostly in Derry and Belfast. Train scenes in series three episode three were shot at the Downpatrick and County Down Railway, and the episode's end was filmed at the recently-closed Barry's Amusements in Portrush. The first series was filmed from May to July 2017. The show was renewed for a second series shortly after the pilot aired, with production beginning on 8 October 2018. A third series was confirmed on 9 April 2019, but production was suspended due to the COVID-19 lockdown. Filming for the third series commenced in late 2021 and completed on 21 December 2021. Creator Lisa McGee confirmed on 23 September 2021 that the series would end with its third series.

Reception

Derry Girls became Channel 4's most successful comedy since Father Ted. On Rotten Tomatoes, the first series holds a 100% approval rating based on 24 critic reviews, with an average rating of 7.9/10. The second series has a 97% approval rating from 33 critics, averaging 8.3/10. The third series holds a 100% approval rating from 21 critics, averaging 8.9/10. On Metacritic, the third series received a score of 86 out of 100 based on five critic reviews. The series was the most watched in Northern Ireland since modern records began in 2002, with an average audience of 519,000 and a 64.2 per cent audience share. Una Mullally of The Irish Times praised the writing, performances, and casting. Barbara Ellen of The Guardian compared the series to The Inbetweeners, Father Ted, and Bad Education. Responses highlighted the comedic treatment of political undertones, with some Northern Irish viewers appreciating the honest portrayal of teenage life during the Troubles.

In other media

In 2018, the cast of Derry Girls—Saoirse-Monica Jackson, Jamie-Lee O'Donnell, Louisa Harland, Nicola Coughlan, and Dylan Llewellyn—took part in a special episode of The Crystal Maze to benefit Stand Up to Cancer UK. For the 2020 New Year, the same cast, plus Siobhán McSweeney, competed on The Great British Bake Off. They baked a trifle, blinis, and a decades-themed tiered cake for judges Paul Hollywood and Prue Leith, with Jackson winning.