The new series was written by acclaimed Northern Irish writer Lisa McGee (Indian Summers, London Irish, Being Human), and tells a story that resembles her own experiences of being from a dysfunctional family during The Troubles.

The six-part series is directed by Northern Ireland’s Michael Lennox (Boogaloo & Graham, A Patch of Fog) and has received funding from Northern Ireland Screen via Invest NI.

The story will centre on 16-year-old Erin Quinn (Saoirse Monica Jackson), who lives with her uncompromising mother (Tara Lynne O’Neill), her long-suffering father (Tommy Tiernan) and the fearsome ‘Granda Joe’ (Ian McElhinney), a man whose love for his daughters and granddaughters is surpassed only by his contempt for his son-in-law. The story aims to show the personal relationships and family dynamics that existed during the devastation of the Troubles.

Derry Girls premieres on Thursday, January 4 at 10pm on Channel 4.