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.
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.
Cast Main Roisin Gallagher as Saoirse Shaw, a television writer Emily Flain as young Saoirse Sinéad Keenan as Robyn Winters (née O’Casey), a mother of three sons Maria Laird as young Robyn Caoilfhionn Dunne as Dara Friel Chara Aitken as young Dara Natasha O'Keeffe as Greta Emma Canning as young Greta Bronagh Gallagher as Booker Darragh Hand as Liam Kells Michelle Fairley as Margo Heaney
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/Andrew Meadows Peter Campion as Jim Leila Farzad as Marnie Jenn Murray as Jamie Matilda Freeman as Maria Deirdre O'Kane as Sister Patrick Ryan McParland as Feargal Eleanor Methven as Mrs. Friel Pat Shortt as Charlie Nikesh Patel as Harry James Martin as Tommy
Episodes
Production The eight-part series was created by Lisa McGee. 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. In March 2024, the series moved to streaming service Netflix. Michael Lennox is the director.
On 1 July 2024, Roisin Gallagher, Sinéad Keenan and Caoilfhionn Dunne were cast in the lead roles. Younger versions of the main characters were cast with Emma Canning, Emily Flain, Chara Aitken and Maria Laird fulfilling the roles. 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.
Filming began in Belfast in July 2024. 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.
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. The Derry Girls mural in Derry appears in a scene in episode 8.
In September 2026 it was reported that the series would not be renewed by Netflix.
Release The series was released on Netflix on 12 February 2026. The age rating for the series is "15" in the UK and "TV-MA" in the US.
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." Metacritic, which uses a weighted average, gave a score of 79 out of 100 based on 13 critics, indicating "generally favorable" reviews.
How to Get to Heaven from Belfast was praised by critics.
References
External links