Lisa McGee’s new Netflix show takes to the hills of ‘weird’ Donegal!

There are mysterious happenings in Donegal in Lisa McGee’s new Netflix offering ‘How to Get to Heaven from Belfast’.

Much of the comedy murder-mystery, out today, takes place in the wilds of Donegal, where our rural roads are a force in themselves.

“Weird things happen in Donegal. Donegal is weird,” is the declaration of Dara (Caoilfhionn Dunne) in one of the episodes, before Letterkenny actor Iarla McGowan rolls up driving a trusty old Swilly bus!

Errigal mountain, Dunlewey and the dizzying Mamore Gap in Inishowen are just some of the spectacular locations chosen for the adventure of three longtime friends on a frantic mission to uncover the truth of their friend’s confusing death.

McGee’s hit Derry Girls was a master class in generational storytelling. Once again she balances the experiences of schoolgirls with the realities of adult life, this time with a greater focus on the enduring bonds of female friendship.

The eight-part series stars Sinéad Keenan as stressed-out mother of three Robyn, Caoilfhionn Dunne as dependable, inhibited carer Dara and Róisín Gallagher as clever, chaotic TV writer Saoirse.

Now in their late 30s, their lives are upended when an email arrives, telling them about the death of the estranged fourth member of their childhood gang.

Off they go to a wake set in a fictional village in Donegal, which leads them on a dark, dangerous and hilarious odyssey through Ireland and beyond.

Behind the Scenes of a Donegal scene in How To Get To Heaven From Belfast. (L to R) Roisin Gallagher as Saoirse, Caoilfhionn Dunne as Dara & Sinead Keenan as Robyn. Photo Courtesy of Netflix/Christopher Barr © 2025

Derry too appears on screen, in a nod to McGee’s beloved home.

“We couldn’t make a show with Belfast in the title and not represent Derry,” said McGee.

Derry Girls fans will be delighted to see Saoirse-Monica Jackson back on their screens. Local talent Saoirse grew up between Derry and Greencastle in Co Donegal where her parents once ran The Castle Inn. Jackson’s mother Ruth is from Buncrana originally.

In How to get to Heaven from Belfast, she plays an intense young woman from Feeney who is at the heart of the mystery and weirdness of the show, complete with ‘cracking costumes’, as described by McGee on the Late Late Show.

The twisty roads of Donegal may be the backdrop to some very weird happenings, but the chaotic story, powered by a stellar cast, has plenty of its own twists and turns to keep viewers giggling and guessing.

Lisa McGee’s new Netflix show takes to the hills of ‘weird’ Donegal! was last modified: February 12th, 2026 by Rachel McLaughlin

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