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.
Contents
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
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.
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.
