The third and final season of Derry Girls is under way and has already been met with fanfare from viewers.
The drama, created by Lisa McGee, debuted back in 2018 and has since become a cult favourite across the world.
While the show centres around five teenagers in the 1990s, many people are left shocked at the ages of the actors who play them.
Here we take a look at the real ages of the actors that play the characters.
Erin Quinn
Derry Girl’s main character is Erin Quinn, who began the series as a 16-year-old attending Our Lady Immaculate College with her friends Clare, Michelle, James and cousin Orla.
Erin is played by Saoirse-Monica Jackson, who was born on November 24, 1993, making her 28-years-old.
While her actual school days were over a decade ago, it would be hard to tell from her performance as boy-crazy Erin Quinn.
Orla McCool
Erin’s ditzy cousin Orla is described as the most dreamy-eyed, slightly eerie one of the group.
She is played by Dublin-born actress Louisa Harland, who recently starred in Boys from County Hell.
Like Jackson, Harland is way beyond school-age at 29-years-old.
Clare Devlin
The group’s ‘wee lesbian’ is the anxious and studious Clare Devlin, who is in around the same age as the rest.
Clare is played by Galway actress Nicola Coughlan, who has gained a lot of fans since the last season of Derry Girls as a result of her role as Penelope Featherington on Netflix’s period drama Bridgerton.
While many were shocked by her age compared to that of Penelope, she is also probably the furthest from a teenager of the Derry Girls.
Coughlan turned 35-years-old back in January and was born in 1987, meaning she's playing the role of someone half her age. You would never know based on her performances as these teenagers.
Michelle Mallon
Michelle is the ever-sarcastic loud-mouth of the group who loves to break the rules at any possible opportunity.
She is played by Jamie-Lee O’Donnell, who is currently playing a prison officer on Channel 4 drama Screw.
O’Donnell is the second Derry Girl to be in their 30s, having celebrated her 30th in March of this year. She was born in 1992 in Derry.
James Maguire
Last but not least is the honorary member of the Derry Girls, James Maguire. Cousin to Michelle, poor James always gets picked on by the other characters - mainly because he’s English.
Dylan John Llewellyn is the actor who plays James, having previously starred in Hollyoaks as teen Martin ‘Jono’ Johnson.
He is currently 29-years-old and was born in September 1992.
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