“I love that show!” – a few minutes after I get into a taxi at Belfast International Airport, the driver starts talking enthusiastically about Derry Girls. The tourists he picks up every day want to discuss the hit comedy, and he, as an avid fan, happily continues the conversation.
The traffic on a wet Tuesday morning seems unusual for a small city like Belfast. “It’s the media,” he jokes. In fact, the city is in the spotlight: the world premiere of Lisa McGee’s new series, How to Get to Heaven from Belfast – creator of “Derry Girls” – is underway – further evidence of how the capital of Northern Ireland has become a major hotbed of quality television.
From the outskirts to the spotlight
For decades, during the period of conflict known as “The Troubles,” television productions dealing with Northern Ireland were often censored or made abroad. Only gradually did more authentic accounts of everyday life begin to emerge.
A turning point was the creation of the state agency Northern Ireland Screen after the Good Friday Agreement in 1998, with the aim of attracting international productions.
However, many local series failed to break through abroad. “People didn’t understand the language and the humour,” recalls music producer Catherine Grimes. That changed with “Derry Girls,” which put Derry and the wider region on the global pop culture map.
The TV series boom
Today, Belfast has become a center of prestigious manufacturing. Among them:
Blue Lights
Trespasses
The Lovers
Conversations with Friends (based on the novel by Sally Rooney)
Malpractice
A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms, prequel to "Game of Thrones"
But it was Game of Thrones that really took Belfast to the next level. Since 2010, the Emmy-winning series has been filmed primarily at Titanic Studios and Linen Mill Studios, taking advantage of its proximity to the coast and dramatic scenery.
The success brought millions of pounds of investment and a new wave of film tourism. The city's pubs like The Duke of York and The Harp Bar were once frequented by actors like Kit Harington and Emilia Clarke – but, as locals say, in Belfast no one is treated more important than the next.
The Netflix effect and screen tourism
McGee's new series, starring the likes of Roisin Gallagher and James Nesbitt, is filmed in iconic locations around the city: the yellow cranes of Harland and Wolff, the Lyric Theatre, the Grand Central Hotel Belfast and the Limelight club.
Outside the city, areas like Carnlough on the Antrim coast are experiencing a surge in visitors thanks to scenes filmed there – a phenomenon now known as “screen tourism.” According to official figures, “Game of Thrones” alone injected an estimated £251 million into the local economy.
A new cultural identity
The television industry has created hundreds of jobs and brought in major investment from the BBC and international platforms. But beyond the numbers, what local professionals emphasize is the collaborative atmosphere and the authenticity of the stories.
“We have universal stories to tell, shaped by a unique history,” Grimes says. “And, despite our painful past, our humor remains unmatched.”
Once a place where television work was viewed with skepticism, Belfast has now become an important center of European drama. The city, which for years was isolated from visitors, now proudly shows its creative face to the world. /GazetaExpress/
edition
t7 live
