Derry Girls brightened our screen for three wonderful seasons, so let’s take a look at our favourite moments.
Derry Girls is arguably one of the best Irish TV shows of the last decade. In fact, arguments aside, it just is one of the best.
The show didn’t get the seal of approval from the likes of Martin Scorsese and Brad Pitt for no reason. No, it’s fondly remembered and celebrated for its iconic one-liners, lovable characters and unforgettable moments.
So, without further ado. Let’s take a look at the ten best Derry Girls moments, ranked.
- Derry Girls brightened our screen for three wonderful seasons, so let’s take a look at our favourite moments.
- 10. Caught in the act of raiding the Christmas cupboard – an unforgivable act in Ireland
- 9. Aunt Sarah and the church money box – looking for change
- 8. Similarities between Catholics and Protestants – “this is actually really hard”
- 7. The trust fund – or lack thereof
- 6. Don’t say knickers in front of your da – one of the best quotes from the show
- 5. The talent show – true friends
- 4. Stuck in the Orange Order parade – one of the best Derry Girls moments
- 3. Toto the dog and the crying Mary statue – a miracle
- 2. Orla dancing to ‘Sunchyme’ by Dario G – a beautiful moment
- 1. The Good Friday Agreement – an integral reminder
10. Caught in the act of raiding the Christmas cupboard – an unforgivable act in Ireland
One of our all-time favourite Derry Girls moments is when the gang is caught red-handed with their hands in the cookie jar, having raided the Christmas cupboard.
The adults are shocked and appalled to discover that the kids have demolished everything from Ma Mary’s Christmas cupboard. Our favourite line is from Aunt Sarah, “There’s only a couple of snowballs left, Mary. It’s been an absolute free-for-all”.
Anyone with an Irish mother knows you do NOT touch the Christmas cupboard. Even though she starts stocking it around ten months in advance.
9. Aunt Sarah and the church money box – looking for change
Next up on our list is when Aunt Sarah puts a fiver in the church whip-around money box and starts taking her change.
When Gerry tells her you’re not supposed to take any change, she says, “Aye dead on, Gerry. I’m gonna give them a whole fiver. That’s definitely happening”.
8. Similarities between Catholics and Protestants – “this is actually really hard”
One of the funniest moments of the show is when Father Peter asks the kids from Our Lady Immaculate College and a nearby Protestant boys’ school to share what Catholics and Protestants have in common.
Flustered, Erin says, “I’m drawing a blank here to be honest”, and the group goes on to solely give our differences rather than similarities, for example, “Catholics have more freckles”, and “Protestants hate ABBA”.
7. The trust fund – or lack thereof
When the gang learns of the price of the school trip, and Jenny Joyce informs them of her trust fund, Erin goes home to ask her mammy if she can dip into her own trust fund for the trip.
Mary says, “Dip into your trust fund? No bother at all. Pass us in the phone, I just need to ring the bank. 7654321, that’s the account number, and what was the password again? Oh aye, catch yourself on!”.
6. Don’t say knickers in front of your da – one of the best quotes from the show
One of our favourite Derry Girls moments comes from the very first episode when Erin catches Orla reading her diary.
When Erin brings the matter to her mother, asking, “What’s next? Will I catch her trying on my knickers?”.
Ma Mary responds, “Don’t say knickers in front of your da, he can’t cope”. This is one of the best Derry Girls quotes from across the show.
5. The talent show – true friends
One of the greatest moments from the show comes when Orla gets up on stage at the school talent show to dance to Madonna’s ‘Like a Prayer’.
When her fellow schoolmates start to laugh and chastise her, the rest of the gang gets up on stage in support, with Erin saying, “She might be a d*ck, but she’s my dick!”.
As the girls dance on stage, the impact of the Troubles rages on outside.
4. Stuck in the Orange Order parade – one of the best Derry Girls moments
One of our favourite moments from the show is when, en route to escape the 12th of July in Donegal, the gang get stuck in the middle of the Orange Order parade.
Surrounding by whistles, union jacks, and furious Orangemen, Joe makes matters worse by goading the parade-goers, including shouting, “Shower of shites!”.
3. Toto the dog and the crying Mary statue – a miracle
One of the best Derry Girls moments is when the gang run to the church in search of Erin’s dog, which she was told was killed in a recent road accident.
When Erin catches the dog urinating in the church, directly above a statue of Mary, the gang mistakes the dripping pee for Mary’s tears. Erin, intending to come clean to the group, stays quiet when she realises this “miracle” could get them out of their exams.
2. Orla dancing to ‘Sunchyme’ by Dario G – a beautiful moment
Orla dancing down the street with her headphones to ‘Sunchyme’ by Dario G is one of the most iconic moments from the show against the backdrop of registering to vote for the Good Friday Agreement.
1. The Good Friday Agreement – an integral reminder
The Good Friday Agreement episode, the final episode of the show, is by far one of the show’s best episodes.
One moment in particular that really pulls at the heartstrings is when Erin asks her granda what he thinks of it all. He tells her that what he thinks is not important, as he is an old man, but that it’s what she thinks is important.
Erin is conflicted about what voting in favour of the agreement has in store, considering all the pain and suffering that has happened.
Granda Joe tells her, “What if this all becomes a ghost story you’ll tell your wains one day? A ghost story they’ll hardly believe”.
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