Laughter In Recovery: Finding Healing Through Derry Girls

I’ve alluded to some personal health issues I’ve had in the past, and I finally had them addressed with a laparoscopic excision surgery last week. The recovery so far has gone relatively well despite wishing it would just go faster. To pass the time and to prepare myself for my next trip to Ireland in August with my husband, I started watching Derry Girls, which has been both hilarious and harmful to my healing due to all the belly laughs I’ve been having every single episode. It’s hard to pick a favorite aspect of this show, but I’ve narrowed it down to 3: the backdrop of The Troubles, the female-centered story-telling, and Sister Michael.

via GIPHY

I’ve made it a point to read up on Irish history. However, I’ve only made it about halfway through the book I’m reading about the rebellion of 1798 in County Wexford. Therefore, I have yet to really get into the details about The Troubles, but I feel like I’m learning little bits and pieces about it through Derry Girls. For example, even as an American living in the United States, I was shocked when soldiers in the show boarded a school bus with rifles in their hands to run an inspection. I mean, we have a lot of guns and gun lovers in the US, but I’ve never seen one just come on to a school bus with children before. What’s even crazier is that it seems from the context of the show to have been a relatively frequent occurrence. With all the violence these citizens were subjected to, it can get really sad, but what’s nice about the show is that the conflict is mostly in the background rather than the main part of the story and, in some cases, it lends itself to excellent comedic moments like when a Catholic and Protestant school bring their teenage students together to bridge the cultural divide between them.


Having been a teen girl in the early 2000s, I heavily identify with the OG 4 Derry Girls of the show. That said, it’s actually the one Derry Girl boy I find the most refreshing. James is Michelle’s cousin from England who attends the all-girls school with her because he’s got such a thick British accent that his family is worried he’ll get beat up at the all-boys school. The fact that he grew up in England and is a boy in a sea of Irish teenage girls is absolutely hysterical because it forces him to operate in a very feminine sphere. I found this experience cathartic to watch because as a woman, I oftentimes feel like I’m forced to navigate a masculine sphere in my life.


My last favorite part of Derry Girls is Sister Michael. I never thought my favorite character would be a nun, but she is hilarious. She reminds me of a high school friend with her acerbic sense of humor. Sister Michael both cares and doesn’t care about her students, which leads me to believe that not only is she the funniest of all the characters, but also the most relatable. The fact that she’s a nun makes it all the more hysterical because you just don’t expect a nun to be this way. And maybe that’s on me for having these preconceived notions about nuns (granted, I attended a private Protestant school as a child before realizing I was an agnostic atheist in college). Ultimately, they’re very much like the rest of us.


In the midst of recovery and anticipation for future travels, Derry Girls has emerged as a surprising yet cherished companion. Its unique blend of humor and heart has provided a welcome distraction, offering moments of respite and laughter during my healing process. From its exploration of historical turmoil to its celebration of female camaraderie and the delightfully sardonic Sister Michael, the show has left an uplifting mark on me this week.