Derry Girls attraction gets major cash boost from cross-border tourism drive

Substantial funding is aiming to create ‘TV’s biggest behind-the-scenes experience’ with events throughout the city

The popular “Derry Girls Experience”, celebrating the hit Channel 4 comedy that captivated audiences across the UK and beyond, is set to receive a significant £250,000 funding injection. This investment forms part of a wider cross-border tourism initiative across the island of Ireland.

The substantial funding aims to transform the attraction by introducing a "new digital experience", encouraging visitors to engage more deeply with Derry Girls-related sites, props, and events throughout the city, aspiring to become "TV’s biggest behind-the-scenes experience".

This uplift is one part of a broader €2.7 million (£2.3 million) investment package, announced jointly by Taoiseach Micheál Martin and Stormont Economy Minister Caoimhe Archibald. The funding will support a diverse range of projects across the island, designed to "strengthen the appeal of the attractions" and foster stronger connections between the Republic of Ireland's Wild Atlantic Way and Northern Ireland's Causeway Coastal Route.

Organisations benefiting from this boost span counties Donegal, Sligo, and Leitrim in the Republic, alongside counties Londonderry and Antrim in Northern Ireland.

Saoirse-Monica Jackson, Louisa Harland, Nicola Coughlan and Jamie-Lee O'Donnell in ‘Derry Girls’ (PA Archive)

In the North, the Giant’s Causeway Visitor Centre has been allocated £250,000 to facilitate "greater storytelling" focusing on the rich folklore and geology of the Giant’s Causeway. Meanwhile, the historic Courthouse in Bushmills, Co Antrim, plans to develop "new state-of-the-art interpretative displays, multilingual touchscreens, and inclusive design" with its awarded funding.

South of the border, the Yeats Society in Sligo town will be reimagined as a multi-sensory experience, intricately linking the renowned poet W.B. Yeats to Sligo’s distinctive culture and landscape.

Additionally, Wild Ireland in Donegal is set to construct an indoor education centre, offering immersive learning opportunities focused on the Celtic Rainforest.

Taoiseach Micheál Martin emphasised that cross-border cooperation "is a powerful driver of prosperity across both jurisdictions on the island." He added: "Through the Shared Island Initiative, we are working to enhance and enable these connections and grow the all-island economy, including through sustainable tourism."

Ms Archibald echoed this sentiment, highlighting that tourism "is an important economic sector for the north and one that I am committed to supporting." She further stated: "The opportunities that come from collaboration north and south, in developing our all-island tourism offering is central to this.

Derry Girls writer Lisa McGee at a mural inspired by the drama (Liam McBurney/PA)

I welcome this funding to enhance some of our existing visitor attractions and experiences in Derry and Antrim, better connecting the Causeway Coastal Route and Wild Atlantic Way. The funding will help attract more visitors, who will stay longer and spend more, boosting our regional economy and supporting our local communities."

The funding is being delivered under the Shared Island Coast-to-Coast Investment Scheme, which forms part of the wider Shared Island Tourism Brand Collaboration Project. This initiative is a joint effort by Failte Ireland, Tourism Ireland, and Tourism Northern Ireland.

Derry Girls, created by Lisa McGee, is a critically acclaimed coming-of-age sitcom set in 1990s Derry, which aired for three series on Channel 4 from 2018, achieving phenomenal ratings success.