Talking Derry Girls

It’s that week between Christmas and New Year and the TDGs have a bit of a treat for you. During the @DerryHalloween event they chatted to two great Derry writers and storytellers - Ken McCormack and Madeline McCully. Between them they have written many books about Derry, ghost stories and local folklore as well as history. Only a few of their tales were included in the Hallowe’en episodes, but they were so good and scary that we wrapped them up for you as a Christmas present! See you all later in January - if we’re spared! 

For more information about Talking Derry Girls, go to: www.thebiglight.com/talkingderrygirls

Amelia Earhart - One of the world’s most famous aviators, American heroine and icon - is actually a Derry Girl! When she broke the world record as the first woman to fly solo across the Atlantic in 1932 she landed unexpectedly in Gallagher’s field in Ballyarnett, on the outskirts of the city. She was surprised. The rest of the world was surprised, as the plan was to land in Paris. 

The TDGs talk to Derry tour guide Eilish Quigley from AELA (the Amelia Earhart Legacy Association) about this amazing story and the connections that have been made in Kansas and Newfoundland. There are plans for big celebrations in ’22 to mark the 90th anniversary. 

Also it’s Christmas - and Jeanie’s parents are stuck at George Best Belfast City Airport (the irony didn’t escape us) and Pauline plans to upgrade or at least get a photo of the Amelia Earhart Lounge at City of Derry Airport! 

Amelia Earhart Legacy Association website (undergoing a bit of construction at the moment). www.ameliaearhartlegacyassociation.co.uk

Facebook page for Amelia Derry Earhart: https://www.facebook.com/Amelia-Derry-Earhart-902000866508749/

Plans for the 90th anniversary of Amelia’s landing in Derry: https://www.derrystrabane.com/Council/News/Council-outlines-plans-to-mark-90th-anniversary-of

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-northern-ireland-foyle-west-57198081

Ninety Nines - formed in 1928 to support women in aviation. Amelia Earhart was the first President  https://www.ninety-nines.org/

Amelia Earhart Hangar Museum FB page https://www.facebook.com/AEHangarMuseum/

Visit Derry https://www.visitderry.com/blog/read/2021/03/amelia-earhart-b222

Amelia Earhart Hangar Museum FB page https://www.facebook.com/AEHangarMuseum/

Amelia’s little red bus which she flew from Newfoundland to Gallagher’s field on the outskirts of Derry in 1932 https://airandspace.si.edu/collection-objects/lockheed-vega-5b-amelia-earhart/nasm_A19670093000

Tours n Trails https://discovernorthernireland.com/things-to-do/tours-n-trails-p686631

Amelia Earhart’s cottage closes 2009 http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/northern_ireland/foyle_and_west/8039687.stm

Amelia - film 2009 staring Hilary Swank https://www.imdb.com/title/tt1129445/

Ballyarnett Heritage Trail https://www.shantallow.net/heritage-trail

George P Putnam https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/George_P._Putnam

For more information about Talking Derry Girls, go to: www.thebiglight.com/talkingderrygirls

It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas and one Derry Girls favourite is busy stocking up on presents for Protestants. The iconic Derry Man talks all things Dennis, putting the fizz into Holy Communion and just how difficult it is to live in the shadow of his super talented and successful "cousin”… 

Will the TDG's be a match for the force of nature and his 10p mixes or will they be sent out into the wilds of Derry without so much as a cola cube between them. Sure Dennis is a pussycat really… isn't he??? 

Quality Street v Roses 

https://www.independent.ie/life/food-drink/food-news/quality-street-vs-cadbury-roses-we-investigate-which-tin-trumps-this-christmas-35287316.html

Paul Mallon - aka Dennis https://www.curtisbrown.co.uk/client/paul-mallon/cv

Sitcom "Open All Hours" starring Ronnie Barker and David Jason https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b007h8hp  

Strabane - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Strabane

http://www.wesleyjohnston.com/roads/strabanebypass.html#:~:text=The%20Strabane%20Bypass%20as%20originally,bridge%20over%20the%20River%20Mourne Strabane By Pass 

Episode 5 "London Irish" https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e6jKs5_auKU.  

Celebrity Siblings The Cusacks - an Irish acting dynasty https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2ojSPY32Fy8  

The IMDB profile where it says Paul and Lisa McGee are "cousins". https://www.imdb.com/name/nm2546951/    

The Wiki page Jeanie found where it says Paul has a "towering frame”. https://www.wiki.ng/en/wiki/paul-mallon-646646

This is the opposite to the Wee Man from Strabane Hugo Duncan https://sharpemusic.com/product/hugo-duncan-the-wee-man-from-strabane/

Where Marie-Louise asks Paul about him being a writer now - Paul has co-written a play with his partner Eléonore Maudet https://lyrictheatre.co.uk/bios/paul-mallon-playwright

Paul and Eleanor talking to Marie-Louise in her proper job on The Culture Cafe BBC Radio Ulster https://www.facebook.com/BBCRadioUlster/videos/el%C3%A9onore-maudet-and-paul-mallon-are-part-of-the-2021-new-playwrights-programme-a/160855852596356/  

Dalgleish - Channel 5 https://www.northernirelandscreen.co.uk/news/filming-in-northern-ireland/dalgliesh-airs-channel-5-thursday/  

Stacey Gregg - writer of "Ballywalter" https://womenandhollywood.com/sxsw-2021-women-directors-meet-stacey-gregg-here-before/  

https://www.empirestreetproductions.com/ballywalter 

Patrick Kielty https://www.patrickkielty.com/

https://www.culturenorthernireland.org/features/performing-arts/night-november    

https://opencomedy.com/paulmallon

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Black_Tower 

Madonna is the first pop star to use a wireless mic on her "Vogue" tour https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oAKj2Maa1gY          

Jonathan Harden is part of the fateful Hallowe'en story where Paul borrows Lisa McGee's Madonna hat https://www.imdb.com/name/nm2325042/              

(side bar - Jonathan is married to Bronagh Taggart who was the waitress in Series 1 Ep 5 Derry Girls who Gerry makes cry https://www.comedy.co.uk/tv/derry_girls/videos/15480/bad_customer_service/ 

Madonna's cowboy hat https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Sdz2oW0NMFk   

Derry Hallowe'en https://derryhalloween.com/

The film "Brokeback Mountain" that Paul went as for Hallowe'en https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0388795/

Des Kennedy https://au.harrypottertheplay.com/creative/des-kennedy/

The art of self taping - the new way to do auditions https://www.spotlight.com/news-and-advice/tips-and-advice/how-to-self-tape/

For more information about Talking Derry Girls, go to: www.thebiglight.com/talkingderrygirls

The TDG's are now back in their separate homelands after an extended Hallowe'en visit to Derry. Any rumours that their stay had anything at all to do with Derry Girls filming in the City last week are merely speculation. 

Ask No Questions…is both a request and the title of Derry Writer Claire Allan's latest novel. Claire has a true Derry Girl pedigree - all of her books are set in the City and this latest crime novel takes place at Hallowe'en. We all know how much Derry Loves Hallowe'en. Add to this the fact that Claire was two years ahead of Lisa Mc Gee at school and was editor of school magazine The Habit and you can guess that the TDG's had a lot of questions to ask…. 

Claire’s website: https://www.claireallan.com/

https://harpercollins.co.uk/blogs/authors/claire-allan

https://www.claireallan.com/freya-kennedy

An outline of the Saville Inquiry into Bloody Sunday https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/10147362

Congratulation to Jenni - Little Acorns Bookstore regional winner of An Post bookshop of the year https://www.derryjournal.com/news/people/derrys-little-acorns-bookstore-named-ulster-regional-winner-in-an-post-bookshop-of-the-year-2021-awards-3452617

Short list announced for An Post Irish book awards 2021 https://www.irishcentral.com/culture/an-post-irish-book-awards-shortlist-2021

The Habit - https://www.joe.ie/movies-tv/school-derry-girls-actually-brought-habit-magazine-back-perfect-article-617924

BBC NI - Blue Lights https://www.belfastlive.co.uk/whats-on/be/new-bbc-drama-blue-lights-20288003

A bump along the way  https://www.northernirelandscreen.co.uk/news/general/bump-along-way-now-available-demand/

Louise Gallagher https://www.northernirelandscreen.co.uk/news/general/hat-trick-appoints-louise-gallagher-scripted-executive-producer/

Bronagh Gallagher https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0302345/

The Chocolate Manor - https://thechocolatemanor.com/

Hallowe’en in Derry - https://derryhalloween.com/

Feed my Curiosity Podcast with Tara Lynne O'Neill - https://www.stevencarterbailey.co.uk/podcasts

Jamie Lee O’Donnell guest on The Proper Class Podcast https://shows.acast.com/the-proper-class-podcast/episodes/jamie-lee-odonnell

Whistle through the Shamrocks - Nicola Coughlan’s new podcast https://play.acast.com/s/whistle-through-the-shamrocks

Paul Mallon - soon to be a guest with TDGs https://www.imdb.com/name/nm2546951/

For more information about Talking Derry Girls, go to: www.thebiglight.com/talkmedia

Be Afraid : A Very Scary Talking Derry Girls Extra Special! 

Spared to roam the streets of Derry for another day the girls are back - haunting the bookshelves and walls of Little Acorns Bookstore. Hallowe'en is here and they are there, spooky tales unfold, costumes are completed faces are painted and surprises are lurking in every dark hole. 

One Derry Girls inspired costume comes all the way from the USA - via Austria and even brings it's own choreographed step aerobics routine. Even Lisa McGee's "Ma" was impressed. 

With thanks to everyone who indulged us and dropped by over the weekend and especially to Derry for being so class. 

DERRY HALLOWEEN https://derryhalloween.com

LITTLE ACORNS BOOKSTORE https://www.facebook.com/LittleAcornsBookstore/

OUR EVENT IN LITTLE ACORNS https://www.facebook.com/events/409483054017954/

CLAIRE ALLAN - ASK NO QUESTIONS. EP WITH CLAIRE ON TDGs PODCAST COMING SOON. https://www.claireallan.com/

THE CHOCOLATE MANOR https://thechocolatemanor.com/

FASHION AND TEXTILE DESIGN CENTRE https://www.fashionanddesignhub.com

ANDREW MCGARRIGLE - Knock Knock https://checkout.liftoff.network/p1-ft-sessions-october-2021

KEN MCCORMACK https://www.irishplayography.com/person.aspx?personid=47285

MADELINE MCCULLY https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FoshlmuDKEE

LEONA - Who transformed our faces… https://www.facebook.com/FancyFacePaintAndBling/posts/leona-of-little-wonderland-face-painting-thanks-for-the-nomination-happy-to-take/684767635647605/

For more information about the podcast, go to: www.thebiglight.com/talkingderrygirls

The Talking Derry Girls are back home for Hallowe’en. They have taken over the Jenni Doherty’s Little Acorns Bookstore and broken into the very fabric and hollows of The Walls to bring you a flavour of how the Hallowe’en Festival takes over the place. In part 1 of this weekend extravaganza (it’s long, you may need a break in the middle) folks they know and don’t know drop by for a chat and chocolate. There are ghost stories as well as a dander round the streets to find out what’s happening.. we’ll also be back tomorrow night - if we’re spared! 

DERRY HALLOWEEN https://derryhalloween.com

LITTLE ACORNS BOOKSTORE https://www.facebook.com/LittleAcornsBookstore/

DAVE DUGGAN -https://www.nervecentre.org/news/story/%E2%80%98dance-lexie-dance%E2%80%99-celebrates-25th-anniversary-watch-now

https://www.facebook.com/DaveDugganWriter/

KEN MCCORMACK https://www.irishplayography.com/person.aspx?personid=47285

NORTH WEST CARNIVAL INITIATIVE (They normally deliver the Hallowe’en parade) https://www.facebook.com/NorthWestCarnivalInitiative/

WALTER DE BURGH https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Walter_de_Burgh,_1st_Earl_of_Ulster

IN YOUR SPACE CIRCUS https://www.facebook.com/inyourspacecircus/

THE CHOCOLATE MANOR https://thechocolatemanor.com/

MADELINE MCCULLY https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FoshlmuDKEE

FASHION AND TEXTILE DESIGN CENTRE https://www.fashionanddesignhub.com

For more information about Talking Derry Girls, go to: www.thebiglight.com/talkingderrygirls

Derry City Centre isn’t that big but there are parts of it Jeanie has never been to. The TDGs visit The Fountain which is right up next to THE WALLS and is historic for many reasons including being the last remaining Protestant housing estate in the City. Jeanie and Pauline meet up with Derry/Londonderry stalwart Jeanette Warke - who has been a youth and community worker there for almost 50 years. The TDGs also speculate why Derry Girls is filming in the seaside town of Portrush and at the institution that was Barry’s amusement park, bringing back happy memories for one of the TDGs - who used to try and make 50p last a whole day there. All this and we expand your vocabulary as well! There’s a also a bit of chat about chocolate and the TDG Hallowe’en ‘event’ at Little Acorns Bookstore.

The Fountain - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i3TieFWm9CE

The Bogside and the Fountain - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-sVg6BeNFdc

Interviews from The Fountain - https://cain.ulster.ac.uk/issues/segregat/temple/hem1.htm

Jeanette’s surprise on national TV - https://www.londonderrysentinel.co.uk/news/environment/fountain-project-wins-uk-prize-on-the-one-show-3243722

A bit of the story of the plays about the Fountain written by Jonathan Burgess - 

https://www.ireland.anglican.org/news/4307/the-exodus-playwright-in-call

Portrush - https://www.causewaycoast.holiday/locations/portrush

Barry’s - https://barrysamusements.com

The Cathedral Youth Club - https://www.facebook.com/cathedralyouthclubfountain/

St Columb’s Cathedral - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/St_Columb%27s_Cathedral

TDGs Event is at Jenni’s Little Acorns - https://littleacornsbookstore.co.uk/

Chocolate heaven in Castlerock - https://thechocolatemanor.com/

We can’t put the lovely boy in the photo in the notes but the picture is on our social media pages… 

For more information about Talking Derry Girls, go to: www.thebighlight.com/talkingderrygirls

Series 3 of Derry Girls is in production and TDG's are building up our potential. We have already performed an audition piece for Lisa McGee - who could forget our stage presence as part of the set in Tara Lynne O’Neill's Rough Girls ( Episode 23 - if you missed it…). Now we are an event! The Very Scary Talking Derry Girls are to be part of Derry's Spooktacular Hallowe’en celebrations. Hallowe’en is a huge deal in Derry but the City has a lot more to offer than oul hags and witches - even if we do love the place. 

So, what can a tourist expect when they Visit Derry? This Summer the TDG's were loose once again on the streets of their beloved hometown. The City was looking glorious, the river was shimmering and the hum of varying accents was everywhere. Derry was the place to be and one man was super keen to tell us all about what Derry has to offer. 

Odhran Dunne - Chief Executive of Visit Derry - tells the girls that Derry is shining and has big plans for a sparkling future. Derry Girls has brought an unexpected dynamic to tourism in the City and with Series 3 now being filmed, Derry is well and truly ready for it's close-ups. 

Visit Derry - https://www.visitderry.com

Derry Hallowe’en - https://derryhalloween.com/

Talking Derry Girls is an ‘event’ - https://derryhalloween.com/whats-on-derry/

It’s official - https://travel.earth/best-places-to-celebrate-halloween/

Little Acorns Bookstore - https://littleacornsbookstore.co.uk

The Chocolate Manor - https://thechocolatemanor.com

Guildhall Press - https://ghpress.com/shop/

For more information about Talking Derry Girls, go to: www.thebighlight.com/talkingderrygirls

As promised in episode 18 the TDG's made it to the opening night of Tara Lynne O’Neill's Rough Girls at Belfast's Lyric Theatre. 

We met up the morning after the big night before and we are all buzzing… It’s the first time the 3 of us have done an interview together… in the same room at the same time with a real live guest… we are just a teeny bit giddy. 

The play revolves around the untold story of Belfast's first all female football team and even though set a hundred years ago it has parallels which continue to resonate today. The team was playing to crowds of 20,000 in 1920's Belfast and yet their story receives no mention in the official story of the Irish Football Associations (IFA) history. And they were subsequently banned by the Football Association (FA) which stopped all women from playing football from 1921.

Tara Lynne decided the story needed telling and she does it with energy, hilarity, sheer joy and raw emotion - an all female cast bringing sheer class to a story that needed to be and should be told. Back of the net! 

https://lyrictheatre.co.uk/whats-on/rough-girls

https://www.playingpasts.co.uk/articles/football/the-pioneer-of-ladies-football-in-irelanda-brief-history-of-mrs-scottpart-on/

https://www.irishnews.com/arts/2021/04/17/news/derry-girls-star-tara-lynne-o-neill-on-helping-young-female-footballers-to-share-their-stories-2290817/

https://www.facebook.com/RebelsWithaBall/

https://www.bloomsbury.com/uk/search/?q=Rough%20Girls

https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0642321/

For more information about the podcast, visit: www.thebiglight.com/talkingderrygirls

Keep up to date with us on Twitter: @TBLderrygirls

Check out our Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/talkingderrygirls

WATCH Derry Girls on Channel 4: https://www.channel4.com

On RTE (in Ireland): https://www.rte.ie/

Series 1 & 2 available on Netflix outside UK: https://www.whats-on-netflix.com/news/derry-girls-season-2-coming-to-netflix-in-august-2019/

An Irish Times number 1 best seller in it's first week of publication Séamas O’Reilly's memoir is a true Derry story. Did ye hear Mammy died? may not be the cheeriest title ever given to a book…but it is set in 90's Derry. Lisa McGee’s Derry. Derry Girls Derry. The dark humour is to the forefront in a story that is both heartbreaking and choke on your tea hilarious in the turn of a page. 

The 9th of eleven children this is Séamas' story of growing up without a mother in the care of their father Joe. A Derry Da extraordinaire. This is the Derry Girls world of bomb scares wakes and priests with wonderful hair. We laughed and sobbed our way through it. Obviously TDG's needed to talk to this writer - to analyse him - interrogate him - laugh with him - comfort him and maybe even adopt him… The three of us read it on our very recent trip back to the mothership, where some of us were getting a bit too used to the home comforts! You’ll also hear about uses for nail varnish remover you would never have dreamt about! And there’s a couple of behind the scenes secrets of how we manage to get recording.. 

Séamas on twitter: https://twitter.com/shockproofbeats

https://twitter.com/FleetReads?ref_src=twsrc%5Egoogle%7Ctwcamp%5Eserp%7Ctwgr%5Eauthor

Some of Séamas’ articles:  https://muckrack.com/seamas-oreilly-1/articles

Guardian articles: https://www.theguardian.com/profile/seamas-o-reilly

His book is available everywhere including our favourite bookshop https://uk.bookshop.org/shop/LittleAcornsBookstore

That twitter feed from Séamas O’Reilly about his worst day at work which involved ‘the then’ President of Ireland which went viral: (remember in the words of Claire - ‘drugs are for mugs’

https://twitter.com/shockproofbeats/status/992006545473966082?lang=en

Amanda Burton - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Amanda_Burton

Nigella Lawson - https://www.nigella.com/

(Some priests are named in the book) Bishop Edward Daly - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Edward_Daly_(bishop)

The film Marie-Louise went to with her mother!! Breaking the Waves -  https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Breaking_the_Waves

Halloween in Derry - https://derryhalloween.com

Séamas went to the same ‘big’ school as a few other writers: 

Seamus Heaney - https://www.poetryfoundation.org/poets/seamus-heaney

Brian Friel - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brian_Friel

Seamus Deane - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Seamus_Deane

For more information about the podcast, visit: www.thebiglight.com/talkingderrygirls

Keep up to date with us on Twitter: @TBLderrygirls

Check out our Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/talkingderrygirls

WATCH Derry Girls on Channel 4: https://www.channel4.com

On RTE (in Ireland): https://www.rte.ie/

Series 1 & 2 available on Netflix outside UK: https://www.whats-on-netflix.com/news/derry-girls-season-2-coming-to-netflix-in-august-2019/