Derry Girls is an Irish sitcom available on Netflix that focuses on five school friends with very different personalities. The show is quite hilarious, and ensures that the viewer gets a good laugh and some knowledge of Ireland’s political ongoings. Derry Girls has scored a 99% average on the Tomatometer, which shows how brilliant this series is. With the third and final season being released on Channel Four, the show continues to explore some heavy themes, including the political unrest in Ireland and the cultural divisions between Catholics and Protestants.
What makes the series binge-able and hard to forget is the superb casting, as well as the remarkable performances of the actors. So, here is a ranked list of the main characters of Derry Girls, based on their contributions to the story as well as their likeability.
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5 Clare Devlin
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Played by the Bridgerton star, Nicola Coughlan, Clare Devlin might be ranked last, but she is definitely one of the most interesting characters in the story. Clare is studious and always ready to panic at the smallest inconvenience. Unlike her friends, she seems to be more aware of the idea behind authoritative figures and the possible consequences that come with breaking rules. Of course, she can be an annoying character, as she tends to be somewhat of a hypocrite. At the beginning of season one, we see her telling everyone not to betray one another, but goes on to betray Michelle under the heat of the situation. She also comes out as a lesbian at the end of the season. This is an important theme, as we see the series tackling the idea of being a lesbian in a very conservative society.
4 Erin Quinn
Erin Quinn is the protagonist of the story, who is quite passionate about literature. Saoirse-Monica Jackson perfectly captures this character’s personality as someone who can be quite concerned about how others perceive her. She also comes off as a hopeless romantic. The series focuses a lot on Erin’s family, as well as includes a lot of bickering, and scolding, but in a light-hearted manner. What makes this character hilarious is her attempts at trying to be cool or changing her persona to please others. She can also be seen as someone reminding the teen audience that the way others think does not matter if you aren’t happy.
3 Michelle Mallon
Definitely the wild one of the group, Michelle Mallon might have a strict mother, but that doesn’t stop her from trying to do the craziest things. She is also the foul-mouthed character, who uses her rule-breaking nature to bring humor to the story. Played by Jamie-Lee O’Donnell, this character is not scared to take risks, and often puts the whole group in trouble. In fact, the series starts off with Michelle trying to bully a junior, which directs the group into Sister Michelle’s office. Regardless of her savage nature, Michelle does seem to be more mature than the rest of the group, as she is not afraid of anything, and sometimes brings out her tough love nature to calm others.
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2 James Maguire
James Maguire, played by Dylan Llewellyn, is Michelle’s cousin from London, and the only male in the group, as well as in the school, Our Lady Immaculate College. This character is perhaps the most emotional and sensitive character, in turn, making him more empathetic than others. Even though James is constantly made fun of for being the “wee English fellow”, especially by Michelle, there is no doubt that he is equally loved. This is seen at the end of season two, when James was torn between returning to England with his mother, and staying in Derry with his chosen family. His decision to stay with his Derry family definitely amped up the emotional nature of the series. What makes James lovable is his super-sweet nature. We see him as being a reliable character, especially in the episode where he accompanies Erin to the dance when her date bails on her.
1 Orla McCool
Undeniably, the whackiest of the group, Orla does not seem to represent her age. Even though she is fifteen, at the beginning of the series, she seems to be the child in the group. We see Sister Michelle telling her to “wisen up”. Orla seems to be quite eccentric, and what makes her absolutely delightful is that, unlike the other characters, she does not seem to care about what others think about her. She takes the comical element of the series to a whole new level, with her lack of awareness of her surroundings, and her immaturity. Orla also tends to take things quite literally. For example, she takes her Grandfather to the prom as her date, as he is someone whom she really adores. Of course, this makes her character even more lovable. Perhaps, it can be argued that Orla, being the tallest one in the group, is a big child. Louisa Harland delivers an exceptional performance as Orla. Moreover, Harland, in an interview, revealed that Orla is non-binary, which further makes her character exceptionally well-written.
