Derry Girls is a sitcom set in Northern Ireland at the end of the Troubles in the mid to later nineties.

Channel 4/Netflix

It follows the adventures of Erin, Michelle, Orla, Clare and, of course, the token boy James.

The backdrop to the sitcom was the troubles in Northern Ireland when it was occupied by the British Army to keep order between the British-descended Unionists and the Catholic Irish population.

Throughout the three series, we see them from age 15 to the coming of age when Northern Ireland’s troubles end, and both sides agree to power sharing.

What makes the sitcom so remarkable is that all five of them are to quote the author of the sitcom Lisa McGee ‘eejits’.

They get into the kind of scrapes that all teenagers find themselves in whilst growing up. They are breaking the boundaries that adults have set for them, as all teenagers do when becoming adults.

CHARACTERS

Erin Quin

Played by Saoirse-Monica Jackson

The sitcom centres around Erin Quin, who sees herself as a high-minded literary figure. She keeps a diary in which she describes herself as a lost soul stuck in a conflict. Her writing style is very theatrical. Much to Erin’s annoyance, Orla has no qualms about reading her diary.

Orla McCool

Played By Louise Harland

Orla is a dizzy, ditzy figure. She is Erin’s cousin and also a member of the gang. She is not an Alpha female but is very good at exams. Maybe Orla is dyspraxic. As Michelle said in Orla’s attempt at step aerobics for the school talent competition, ‘Orla may be a dick, but she is our dick.’

Michelle Mallon

Played by Jamie-Lee O’Donnell

Michelle is street-smart and has lots of hormones. Half the girls’ questionable schemes are Michelle’s idea. She is intentionally hilarious and witty, and her big mouth often gets them running away from their stupid activities, which have often been Michelle’s ideas in the first place.

Clare Devlin

Played By Nicola Coughlan

Clare Devin is the intellectual, reluctant member of the gang. She worries about naughty things, protests, and gets hysterical. She worries about the consequences if the scheme goes wrong.

Throughout the three seasons, Clare discovers that she is a Lesbian. This adds to the sitcom’s theme of being a ‘coming-out’ sitcom.

James Maguire

Played by Dylan Llewellyn

Like Clare, James also questions the wisdom of Michelle’s schemes that put him in awkward positions. James is a Derry Girl because he couldn’t go to a boy’s school as he would get beaten up.

As James is Michelle’s cousin, he is in the gang by default. His opinions are worth nothing in the gang as he is a ‘dick’ even if his ideas are sensible. They are all fond of James, though.  

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Watch on Channel 4

Also on Netflix ( Well On The UK it is)