How To Get To Heaven From Belfast Cast & Characters
How To Get To Heaven From Belfast Cast & Characters (Saoirse, Robyn, Dara + Full Guide)
How to Get to Heaven from Belfast is Netflix’s eight-episode comedy-thriller from Lisa McGee (the creator of Derry Girls). It follows three childhood friends—Saoirse, Robyn, and Dara—who reunite after learning an estranged fourth friend has died, and quickly find themselves pulled into a mystery that turns their memories (and their friendships) inside out.
This guide covers the full cast, a character-by-character breakdown (with extra detail on Saoirse, Robyn, and Dara), and the key “what to know before you watch” details: release date, episode count, and the official trailer.
Quick facts (for the “just tell me” readers)
- Streaming: Netflix
- Release date: February 12, 2026
- Episodes: 8 (hour-long)
- Genre: Comedy-thriller / mystery
- Creator / writer: Lisa McGee
- Lead trio: Roísín Gallagher (Saoirse), Sinéad Keenan (Robyn), Caoilfhionn Dunne (Dara)
What’s the show about (spoiler-free setup)
At its core, How to Get to Heaven from Belfast is a story about friendship, memory, and the mess that adulthood can make of who you thought you were going to be. Saoirse, Robyn, and Dara have known each other since school, and now—well into their late 30s—each one is living a very different “version” of grown-up life.
Then an email arrives with news they can’t ignore: Greta, the estranged fourth member of their childhood group, has died. When the trio shows up, a string of eerie moments at the wake sparks a bigger question—did Greta’s story really end the way everyone says it did? And what does any of it have to do with what happened back then?
Main cast & characters (Saoirse, Robyn, Dara)
Saoirse (played by Roísín Gallagher)
Saoirse is described as a clever, chaotic TV writer—the kind of person who can talk herself into (and out of) anything, usually at speed. She’s funny, sharp, and restless, with a talent for pulling at threads other people would rather leave alone.
- Why she matters: Saoirse is often the engine of the investigation—pushing the group forward when it would be easier to go home, pretend it’s fine, and “leave the past in the past.”
- What to watch for: how she uses humour as armour, and how storytelling (her job) affects what she believes about truth.
Robyn (played by Sinéad Keenan)
Robyn is glamorous and stressed-out—she’s a mother of three who’s holding a whole world together with a mix of charm, panic, and pure stubbornness. She’s the friend who can switch from warmth to fury in a sentence, and she’s not wrong to be suspicious of everyone… including her own memory.
- Why she matters: Robyn grounds the trio in the practical reality of adult life—kids, time, pressure, reputation—while still being emotionally tied to the teenage version of herself.
- What to watch for: the way she negotiates control: when she needs it, when she loses it, and when she finally chooses to let it go.
Dara (played by Caoilfhionn Dunne)
Dara is dependable, inhibited, and carrying more than she says out loud. She’s a carer, which means her daily life is built around responsibility—and that sense of duty spills into the group dynamic. Dara can be the quietest voice in the room, but she often notices the most.
- Why she matters: Dara is the emotional hinge of the trio: the friend who remembers details, holds history, and pays the cost of keeping things running.
- What to watch for: what happens when the “reliable one” stops absorbing everyone else’s chaos.
Full supporting cast (and who they play)
Alongside the main trio, Netflix has confirmed a strong supporting lineup. Here’s the quick-reference cast list:
| Actor | Character |
|---|---|
| Natasha O’Keeffe | Greta |
| Emmett J. Scanlan | Owen |
| Tom Basden | Seb |
| Art Campion | Jim |
| Michelle Fairley | Margo |
| Josh Finan | Jason |
| Bronagh Gallagher | Booker |
| Darragh Hand | Liam |
| Ardal O’Hanlon | Seamus |
| Saoirse-Monica Jackson | Supporting role (announced as part of the cast) |
Release date, episodes, and how to watch
Release date: Netflix has scheduled How to Get to Heaven from Belfast to premiere on February 12, 2026. The season is set to be 8 episodes, with hour-long runtimes.
How to watch: You’ll be able to stream it on Netflix. If you’re searching inside the app, try: How to Get to Heaven from Belfast, or (sometimes faster) search by the leads: Roísín Gallagher, Sinéad Keenan, or Caoilfhionn Dunne.
Why the title is doing so much work
The title sounds like a joke you’d hear on a night out—until the mystery kicks in and it starts to feel like a dare. “Heaven” in this show isn’t just religion; it’s also nostalgia, guilt, longing, and the fantasy that you can “go back” and fix the one thing you never properly talked about.
And because this is Lisa McGee, expect the tone to keep swerving in the best way: one minute you’re laughing at a brutal one-liner, the next you’re thinking, “Hang on… that’s actually devastating.”
What Reddit Theories Say About this
Reddit’s early chatter tends to land in two buckets: (1) hype because it’s “from the creator of Derry Girls,” and (2) comparisons to other darkly funny mystery shows about women and a death. The trailer also sparked plenty of debate about how much people want to know before episode one.
How to Get to Heaven from Belfast | Official Trailer | Netflix
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Production notes (the “how it came together” version)
The show comes from Hat Trick Productions (a company with deep comedy roots) and reunites Lisa McGee with director Michael Lennox. It was originally developed for Channel 4 before landing at Netflix, which is why the show’s tone feels like a deliberate blend: sharp character comedy with the momentum of a mystery.
‘Derry Girls’ Creator Lisa McGee’s New Series ‘How to Get to Heaven From Belfast’ Moves to Netflix
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FAQ
Is this a Derry Girls spin-off?
No—How to Get to Heaven from Belfast is a separate story with brand-new characters. But it shares DNA: fast dialogue, razor-sharp character comedy, and real emotional stakes.
Is it comedy or thriller?
Both. The core engine is a mystery (a death, a wake, and questions that won’t stay buried), but the show’s voice is comedic—especially in how the friends speak to each other and how their “normal lives” get tangled up in the investigation.
Who should watch?
- Fans of Lisa McGee’s writing (especially if you love comedy that doesn’t dodge pain).
- Viewers who like mysteries driven by character, secrets, and memory.
- Anyone who wants a female-led, friendship-first thriller with bite.
Related content you’ll probably enjoy next
If you finish How to Get to Heaven from Belfast and want something with a similar “funny-until-it-isn’t” vibe, here are a few strong follow-ups:
- Derry Girls — if you’re here for Lisa McGee’s humour and heart.
- Bad Sisters — dark comedy, sisters, secrets, and a death that reshapes everything.
- Bodkin — Irish-set mystery with an outsider-insider dynamic and plenty of twisty tension.
- Blue Lights — Belfast-set drama with sharp character work and a strong sense of place.
Bookmark this page: once the season is out, it’s the perfect spot to add episode-by-episode character updates (and the inevitable “wait, who was THAT again?” breakdown).