How to Get to Heaven from Belfast
Irish television series
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
How to Get to Heaven from Belfast is an Irish comedy thriller series for Netflix created by Lisa McGee and produced by Hat Trick Productions. The series premiered on 12 February 2026.[1]
| How to Get to Heaven from Belfast | |
|---|---|
| Genre | |
| Created by | Lisa McGee |
| Starring | |
| Music by | Sion Trefor |
| Countries of origin | United Kingdom Ireland |
| Original languages | English Irish |
| No. of series | 1 |
| No. of episodes | 8 |
| Production | |
| Executive producers |
|
| Producer | Brian J. Falconer |
| Cinematography |
|
| Editors |
|
| Running time | 47–56 minutes |
| Production companies |
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| Original release | |
| Network | Netflix |
| Release | 12 February 2026 |
Premise
When three close friends from Belfast receive the news that the estranged fourth member of their teenage friend group has unexpectedly died, they travel to County Donegal in the north-west of Ireland to pay their respects. Strange events at the wake and a long-kept secret threatening to come out propel the trio into investigating their friend's mysterious death, but the amateur sleuths quickly find themselves in over their heads.[2][3]
Cast
Main
- Roisin Gallagher as Saoirse
- Sinéad Keenan as Robyn
- Caoilfhionn Dunne as Dara
- Bronagh Gallagher as Booker
- Darragh Hand as Liam
- Natasha O'Keeffe as Greta
- Michelle Fairley as Margo
Recurring
- Selin Hizli as Jodie
- Saoirse-Monica Jackson as Feeney
- Jeanne Nicole Ní Áinle as Niamh
- Emmett J. Scanlan as Owen
- Tom Basden as Seb
- Ardal O'Hanlon as Seamus
- Michael Redmond as Garda Peadar
- Josh Finan as Jason Meadows
- Peter Campion as Jim
- Leila Farzad as Marnie
- Jenn Murray as Jamie
- Matilda Freeman as Maria
- Deirdre O'Kane as Sister Patrick
- Maria Laird as young Robyn
- Chara Aitken as young Dara
- Emma Canning as young Greta
- Emily Flain as young Saoirse
- Ryan McParland as Feargal
- Eleanor Methven as Mrs. Friel
- Pat Shortt as Charlie
- Nikesh Patel as Harry
- James Martin as Tommy
Episodes
| No. | Title | Directed by | Written by | Original release date | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | "The Wake" | Michael Lennox | Lisa McGee | February 12, 2026 | |
|
Old pals Dara, Robyn, and Saoirse head to a small Donegal town for a school friend's wake, and to make sure a long-held secret stays buried. | |||||
| 2 | "The Secret" | Michael Lennox | Lisa McGee | February 12, 2026 | |
|
Reeling from the crash, the gang vows to leave Greta and the past well alone, until mysterious red letters and an old notebook pull them right back in. | |||||
| 3 | "The Ghost" | Michael Lennox | Lisa McGee | February 12, 2026 | |
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As a storm rages towards Knockdara, Saoirse, Dara, and Robyn set up camp in the hotel, again. Liam probes deeper into another old friend of Greta's. | |||||
| 4 | "The Girl From Sagres" | George Kane | Tobias Beer | February 12, 2026 | |
|
After some stellar sleuthing, the trio's search for answers takes them to a five-star resort in Portugal, where they're not the only ones on a mission. | |||||
| 5 | "The Box" | George Kane | Bronágh Taggart | February 12, 2026 | |
|
Desperate to outrun Booker, the three friends scramble around St. Patrick's Day Dublin. After Andrew's bombshell, Liam has a bone to pick with Saoirse. | |||||
| 6 | "Separate But Inseparable" | George Kane | Ava Pickett | February 12, 2026 | |
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Already in a tight spot, a confession ratchets up the tension between Robyn, Saoirse, and Dara. An exasperated Booker gets back on the box's trail. | |||||
| 7 | "Outlaws, Liars and Fallen Angels" | Rachna Suri | Lisa McGee | February 12, 2026 | |
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Booker, Feeney, and the Midwife receive a summons to Derry. At a Belfast police station, risky gambits, surprise reunions and smoke breaks transpire. | |||||
| 8 | "Anagnorisis" | Rachna Suri | Lisa McGee | February 12, 2026 | |
|
Having come this far, Saoirse, Dara, and Robyn know there's no going back. Will they finally uncover the terrifying truth ... and manage to stay alive? | |||||
Production
The eight-part series was created by Lisa McGee.[4] In August 2023 the series was announced to be executive produced by Caroline Leddy, Liz Lewin, and Jimmy Mulville for Hat Trick Productions and Channel 4.[5] In March 2024, the series moved to streaming service Netflix. Michael Lennox is the director.[6]
On 1 July 2024, Roisin Gallagher, Sinéad Keenan and Caoilfhionn Dunne were cast in the lead roles.[7] Younger versions of the main characters were cast with Emma Canning, Emily Flain, Chara Aitken and Maria Laird fulfilling the roles.[8] The cast also includes Jeanne Ní Áinle as well as Emmett J. Scanlan, Tom Basden, Ardal O'Hanlon, Michelle Fairley, Saoirse-Monica Jackson and Josh Finan.[9][10]
Filming began in Belfast in July 2024.[11][12][13] Other filming locations include the Harbourview Hotel (formerly Londonderry Arms) in Carnlough, (County Antrim), (County Louth), Saint John's Point (County Down), Mamore Gap and Inishowen, County Donegal, Dublin, and Malta.[14][15]
Hat Trick Productions also produced Lisa McGee's previous series Derry Girls. Actors Sinéad Keenan, Emmett J. Scanlan, Maria Laird, Peter Campion, Ardal O'Hanlon, Bronagh Gallagher and Saoirse-Monica Jackson worked on both series, as did several other cast and crew members.[16] The Derry Girls mural in Derry appears in a scene in episode 8.[17]
Release
Reception
The review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes reported an 95% approval rating based on 39 critic reviews. The website's critics consensus reads, "Stretching its tone in different directions without ever snapping, How to Get to Heaven from Belfast is another triumphantly funny and proudly Irish series from creator Lisa McGee."[20] Metacritic, which uses a weighted average, gave a score of 79 out of 100 based on 13 critics, indicating "generally favorable" reviews.[21]
How to Get to Heaven from Belfast was praised by critics.[3][22][23]
