Lisa McGee, the creator of the hit sitcom Derry Girls, has opened up about the real-life locations in her hometown that inspired the show. Set during the final years of the Troubles, the series has become a global success, with fans flocking to Derry to see the places featured on screen.
McGee described the city as 'the sixth Derry Girl' and said she wanted to show a different side to Northern Ireland. 'Whenever Northern Ireland was on screen, it was very grey and bleak, but I felt the city was colourful and fun, even in the 90s,' she told i. 'I wanted it to look welcoming, and I think people in Derry appreciate that it feels more truthful.'
Key locations include the Bogside neighbourhood, where the main character Erin lives, and Free Derry Corner, a famous political mural. The girls are often seen walking up Orchard Row, a steep hill overlooking Bogside, and the Long Tower Church appears in series three. McGee recalled attending mass there as a child.
The city walls, which date back 400 years, provide a dramatic backdrop for many scenes. 'Derry is nicknamed The Maiden City because the walls were never breached,' McGee said. She also mentioned Foyle Books, a secondhand bookshop in the Craft Village where she used to browse as a teenager, and Pump Street, where Granda Joe buys cream horns from Doherty's Home Bakery.
A mural of the Derry Girls now stands on Orchard Street, on the side of Badgers Bar. 'Murals are a big thing in Derry. They're all over the city, but this was one of the first big ones that wasn't attached to the past,' McGee explained. The area has also seen new additions like Dairy Girls ice cream parlour and a Derry Girls cocktail at Badgers Bar.
McGee expressed pride in how the city has transformed in recent years, with more festivals, restaurants and coffee shops. 'It's unrecognisable,' she said. 'There's a lot more shine to it now, but the people are still the main attraction: the people are so funny, such big characters.'
