County Derry is renowned for its historical walled city of Derry, which has provided authentic urban and Troubles-era backdrops for several productions. Unlike counties with dramatic natural landmarks in major blockbusters, Derry’s fame in film and television stems largely from realistic depictions of Northern Irish life, particularly in the 1990s and during the Troubles. The standout is the hugely popular television series Derry Girls, but there are also notable feature films.
- Derry city centre, including the City Walls, Guildhall, Bishop’s Gate, and Bogside area: The historic walled city, with its intact 17th-century defences, steep streets, and murals, served as the primary on-location setting for Derry Girls (2018–2022), Lisa McGee’s acclaimed Channel 4 comedy series about teenage girls (and one boy) navigating life, school, and the Troubles in 1990s Derry. Key spots include the Bogside shops (such as Dennis’s Wee Shop), the Guildhall for public scenes, Bishop’s Gate on the walls, Free Derry Corner, and various streets capturing the show’s nostalgic humour and community feel; some interiors were filmed in Belfast, but exteriors heavily feature the real city.
- Bogside and Creggan areas: These working-class neighbourhoods, including streets and estates, appeared in Bloody Sunday (2002), Paul Greengrass’s powerful docudrama recreating the 1972 civil rights march and shootings. While much of the film was shot in Ballymun, Dublin, for logistical reasons, authentic location scenes were captured here along the actual march route, Guildhall Square, and Creggan to lend realism to the historical events.
- Various Derry city locations: The city provided backdrops for smaller or independent films like Jump (2012), a drama involving personal crises in a single night, and A Bump Along the Way (2019), a coming-of-age story about a pregnant teenager, using urban streets and everyday settings to reflect contemporary Northern Irish life.
Other productions have used parts of the county incidentally, such as rural or coastal areas near Derry for minor scenes in titles like Dracula Untold (2014, with some The north filming), but they lack strong, specific landmark ties. Derry’s screen heritage focuses overwhelmingly on authentic portrayals of its people and history rather than fantasy epics, with the city itself, especially its walls and Bogside, remaining the most celebrated and visitable site for fans of Derry Girls and Troubles-related dramas. Screen walking tours of Derry highlight these spots prominently.
Movie locations in the county
Antrim – Armagh – Carlow – Cavan – Clare – Cork – Derry – Donegal – Down – Dublin – Fermanagh – Galway – Kerry – Kildare – Kilkenny – Laois – Leitrim – Limerick – Longford – Louth – Mayo – Meath – Monaghan – Offaly – Roscommon – Sligo – Tipperary – Tyrone – Waterford – Westmeath – Wexford – Wicklow
County Derry:
Ireland’s county Derry offers a rich historical tapestry, with the city’s 17th-century walls providing a walkable journey through its past. The Guildhall and Tower Museum explore Derry’s maritime and political history, while the Peace Bridge offers scenic views over the River Foyle. Derry is Ireland’s 15th largest county by size (2,067 square km) and sixth largest by population (252,231). Population previously peaked at 222,174 in 1841 and reached its lowest point, 139,693 in 1926. In terms of hospitality, Derry is Ireland’s 16th most visited tourist county with around 135,000 international visitors per year.
Introduction – Adventure – Anthem – Archaeology – Attractions – Awards – Birdwatching – Camping – Castles – Churches – Contact list – Cycling – Dining – Equestrian – Festivals – Fishing – Folklore – Gardens – Golf – Graveyards – Happening – Haunted – Highest – Hiking – History – Holy Wells – Hotels – Hotels top 8 – Hunting & shooting – Instagrammable – Itineraries – Largest town – Luxury – MICE – Movies – Music – New – Name – Novelists – Off the beaten track – Poets – Pubs – Quotes – Random Facts – Restaurant Awards– Sacred Places – Saints – Songs – Spas – Sports – Sunsets – Sustainable – Things to do – Towns – Video – Villages – Walking – Wanderlist – Weddings – Wild swimming – Writers – 1837 – 1846 – 1852 – 1909 – 1955 – 1980 –
