Who is Erin? Who are the Derry Girls?
Derry Girls follows teenager Erin Quinn and her four friends through their scrapes in 1990s Northern Ireland, during the final years of the Troubles. For anyone who missed the history lessons: the conflict was between mostly Catholic nationalists, who wanted a united Ireland, and mostly Protestant unionists, who wanted to remain part of the UK. Derry was a largely Catholic city, while unionists preferred the more anglicised name Londonderry. You get the idea.
What is Derry Girls really about?
Despite the setting, this sitcom isn’t really about the Troubles. They’re always there in the background, but the show is about five teenagers and the trouble they get themselves into. Erin likes to think she’s at the heart of it all, as she makes clear in her diary, which her cousin Orla loves reading aloud, much to Erin’s horror.
I’ve written a guide to all the characters here.
Why I love Derry Girls
As you can probably tell, I adore the gang and the eccentric grown-ups and classmates around them. Over three series, the show takes them through school, family chaos and, in series 2, President Clinton’s real-life visit to Derry. The final series follows them through their GCSEs and on from 16 to 18. Orla turns out to be surprisingly good at exams, and as someone who is autistic and has ADHD, I massively identified with her hyperfocus.
Plenty of loose ends get tied up, but because they’re eejits, some storylines are left hanging and some things are left unsaid.
How Covid delayed Derry Girls series 3
Covid caused a long gap between series 2 (2019) and series 3 (2022). The cast were already in their mid-20s to early 30s when the show began, so you can only stretch teenagers so far. The story ends in 1998, with the gang turning 18 and voting in the Good Friday Agreement referendum, which helped bring the Troubles to an end. It’s about as perfect an ending as you could ask for.
What have the Derry Girls cast done since?
The cast have since caught the eye of casting directors everywhere. Nicola Coughlan, who played Clare Devlin, went on to star in Bridgerton. Jamie-Lee O’Donnell, who played troublemaker Michelle Mallon, appeared in Channel 5’s drama The Feud as PC Gallagher.
Find out more: [Whatever Happened to the Derry Girls Actresses?]
Fringe Characters In Derry Girls
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