Derry Travel Guide For The ‘Derry Girls’ Experience

With the rise of pop culture tourism, or “set-jetting,” travelers have flocked to Sicily to live out their “White Lotus” fantasies, followed in the footsteps of Ted Lasso in Richmond, London, and marveled at those epic “Yellowstone” vistas in Montana. “Game of Thrones” and its spinoffs have notably boosted the profile of multiple destinations in Croatia, Spain and even the eerie corners of Northern Ireland.

But when I think of pop culture in Northern Ireland, another show comes to mind: “Derry Girls.”

In 2020, I was one of countless people who turned to binge-watching TV as a way to find some joy. Although I discovered many wonderful shows during this time, my absolute favorite by far was Lisa McGee’s sitcom about a group of teens in Derry (“or Londonderry, depending on your persuasion”) in the mid-to-late ’90s.

Juxtaposing the violence of the Troubles with the lightheartedness of teen life, “Derry Girls” presents a perfect blend of humor and heart with its hilarious high jinks and one-liners, as well as genuinely tear-jerking moments. The music, acting, character development and world-building are all fantastic — I really just cannot say enough good things about this show.

Although “Derry Girls” ended in 2022, it very much remains in the zeitgeist as stars like Nicola Coughlan continue to make headlines and bring new audiences to the show. The release of “Say Nothing” ― another series set in Northern Ireland (albeit with a very different tone) ― last month also brought “Derry Girls” back into the conversation.

For my part, I keep all 19 episodes of the show on my evening rewatch rotation. So when I was invited to attend a friend’s wedding in Ireland in July, I knew I wanted to explore more of the island after the festivities ― and, more specifically, to take a trip up north.

And so began my pilgrimage to Derry.

I coordinated my trip though a travel company called Brendan Vacations, and they set me up with a local tour guide named Gerry Lynn, who grew up in Derry and has an encyclopedic knowledge of its history. He lived through the Troubles and even had the opportunity to meet U.S. President Bill Clinton during his famous 1995 visit.

We began our tour at the Guildhall, the site of many important moments in Derry’s story, including Clinton’s remarks to the city ― as depicted in the “Derry Girls” Season 2 finale. The building is again featured in the show when the character Orla registers to vote ahead of the Good Friday Agreement referendum.

Then, we of course walked the Derry city walls ― and they were indeed “nothing short of spectacular.” Lynn broke down the history of Derry up to the present, including its earliest years and founding as a monastic settlement, the 1689 Siege of Derry, the Irish War of Independence, the 1921 partition of Ireland, the Troubles and Bloody Sunday.

He was also sure to point out the lovely “Derry Girls” mural on Orchard Street and a number of filming locations. There are so many that some companies now even offer “Derry Girls” walking tours. Highlights included Foyle Books (where Erin attempts to read “Hamlet”), The Yellow Yard (the site of the infamous Fatboy Slim tickets fiasco) and Bishop’s Gate (the location of Toto’s mysterious sighting).

I also thoroughly enjoyed checking out Limewood Street, where the girls meet up in the pilot episode and Clare makes her hilarious “I’m not being an individual on my own” declaration.

Much like the show, the city of Derry presents a unique juxtaposition of joy and darkness. I felt the heaviness of its history as I walked around the Bogside neighborhood and took in the Bloody Sunday monument, Free Derry Corner and many murals dedicated to those who died during the Troubles.

But there was also a great deal of hope and lightness in strolling across the Peace Bridge and spotting the many nods to “Derry Girls” throughout the city.

Many shops sell funny greeting cards, ornaments and other souvenirs with references to the show. And the Tower Museum has an incredible exhibit with props, costumes and other memorabilia.

Although the weather was quite cold and gloomy for most of my visit, the locals were warm and friendly ― with many cheerfully assuring me that I was getting an authentic Derry experience with the rain.

As for food, I sampled some classic Northern Irish fare like fifteens ― tasty confections made with digestive biscuits, marshmallows and candied cherries ― and a hearty breakfast of Ulster fry. I also tried some local Derry pub favorites, including tobacco onions and spicy chicken pasta.

Being a “Derry Girls” fan, I naturally had to stop by a bakery to pick up a cream horn and walk down Pump Street as well. There are many edible tributes to the series around town, like the Derry Girls afternoon tea at the Everglades Hotel and the “Rock the Boat” drink at Walled City Brewery (where previous brews have included the Wee English Fella, Sexy Priest, Second Best Tent and Sister Michael).

Because I traveled around Northern Ireland in a rental car, I was able to drive outside the city and confirm the character Michelle’s pronouncement that “Foreigners fucking love the Giant’s Causeway.” The unique geologic site truly is a natural wonder.

After continuing on to Belfast, I inadvertently had another “Derry Girls” experience when my tour guide accidentally drove us into an Orange Order parade, but that’s a story for another time.