Get Caught Up With "Derry Girls" Series 2 Thanks to This Handy Recap

The post-lockdown surge of amazing TV shows returning to our screens continues, and we're beyond grateful. With many popular series having their filming schedules delayed by COVID-19, it's been a long time since we've had new episodes to look forward to. "Derry Girls" was one such casualty, but fear not — it's on its way back. While there's still no official release date, "early 2022" has been teased, so it can't be too far off. With series two airing in what now feels like the dark ages, its events may have slipped your mind. To jog your memories and help you relive some hilarious moments, here's a full recap of everything that happened to our favourite Derry gang during series two.

Tensions Run High Right From the Beginning

Series two kicks off with a school trip that includes a group of Protestant boys from the Londonderry Boys' School through Friends Across the Barricade, an outdoor-activities program created as part of the school's peace initiative. Erin (played by Saoirse-Monica Jackson) is keen to build bridges with the boys, while Michelle (played by Jamie-Lee O'Donnell) has her mind firmly set on hooking up with some of the boys. All the while, James (played by Dylan Llewellyn) just wants to make friends. Clare (played by Nicola Coughlan) is entirely flustered by the whole experience, and Orla (played by Louisa Harland) is in full orienteering mode (complete with army regalia) before the girls even leave the estate.

It isn't long before the Derry Girls are up to their regular antics; in this case, it's crashing the boys' dormitory. James's friend-making endeavours are continually thwarted by Orla, and Clare is desperate to befriend a Protestant. The boys make it clear that they aren't interested in the girls, which leads to a collective relief when Sister Michael (played by Siobhan McSweeney) breaks up the party and sends everyone packing back to bed. Despite Father Peter's (played by Peter Campion) best efforts to ease relations, a huge fight breaks out between the Catholic girls and Protestant boys, which Sister Michael is in no hurry to break up.

Ms De Brún Is the Object of Much Admiration

Once the parents arrive to collect their offspring and proceed to join in with the arguing, too, Erin realises that the Catholics and Protestants do have one thing in common: parents. In the next episode of the series, a new teacher joins Our Lady Immaculate College. The lady in question, Ms De Brún (Judith Roddy), wastes no time in honestly appraising the work of the class, offering plenty of criticism. The girls are inspired, mostly by Ms De Brún's sharp dressing and on-point makeup, but Erin is particularly inspired to do better at poetry to impress her and calls a study night with the gang. The night descends into chaos when the group raid the Christmas chocolates and are caught red-handed when the adults return home early.

The Child of Prague Gets a Facelift

Ms De Brún quickly becomes the epitome of the inspirational teacher with unconventional methods to inspire the kids, soon having them scrabbling to emulate her mannerisms, hair, and makeup (even James) and declaring they'd die for her. Eventually, the free-spirited teacher abandons her devoted followers for better wages at a different school, leaving Sister Michael to take the reins and the gang devastated. As a result, they steal Sister Michael's "enchanting child of Prague" statue (the only thing that brings a genuine smile to her face) in an attempt to get Ms De Brún reinstated. They mistakenly believe that Sister Michael had her sacked and plan to return the statue once their icon also returns, but they end up decapitating it and gluing the head on upside down. Once they realise the real reason for their idol's departure, they also realise that she was just a normal adult and never cared much for them in the first place.

There's a Fraught Trip to a Take That Concert

Moving on from let-down teachers, the gang are excited about going to a Take That concert. Ma Mary initially puts a stop to them going because a polar bear had broken out of a zoo near the venue; however, Michelle rallies everyone with an "I'm not going to let that fat furry f*ck ruin the best day of my life," and a plan is formed. On the way, their suitcase full of vodka is mistaken for an explosive device and blown sky high. A classic bad-dream structure of trying-to-get-somewhere-and-failing ensues, including being chased by gypsies, hitching with a mad and drunk driver, and losing James — but they make it.

A Family Wedding Leads to a Funeral

Erin's family attends a family wedding, where Erin is allowed to invite one friend to the reception, and naturally, she invites the whole gang. Michelle wants nothing but to find and take drugs, but her mission is interrupted when The Hues Corporation song "Rock The Boat" played. Ma Mary's aunt is also on a war path and insults her to the point where Ma Mary tells her to drop dead and she obliges. At the aunt's wake, Michelle's mind is still on drugs, and she procures a box of scones that she has laced with cannabis. Palpable panic ensues when the scones are snatched away by a forthright relative and distributed to the guests. The gang manage to round up as many as they can and, much to Michelle's dismay, attempt to flush them down the toilet. A blocked and flooded toilet has the whole family sent packing, and the end of the fourth episode sees the family at home with Granda Joe distributing the excellent scones he had managed to salvage from the wake.

The Girls (and James) Go to the Prom

Jenny Joyce (Leah O'Rourke) organises a '50s-inspired prom, and the gang are not impressed. They go along anyways and are left dealing with the angst that comes with having to find dates. Clare laments how difficult it would be for her to find a date (after she came out as a lesbian in series one), so Erin agrees to be her date but then drops her when she finds her ex, John Paul (Calam Lynch), is now single, inviting him instead. Clare agrees to go with new girl Mae (Aoife Hinds), who clashes with Erin, while Michelle steals her mum's credit card to pay for new outfits for them all to wear. Orla rather sweetly goes with Granda Joe "because he's the fella I like the most"; meanwhile, Erin is left devastated after being stood up by John Paul. James saves the day by escorting her instead, and it becomes increasingly obvious that Mae isn't what she seems.

The gang discover that Mae was expelled from her last school for bullying, and when Jenny is announced as prom queen, Mae goes full "Carrie" and unleashes buckets of tomato juice (to look like blood) all over her, along with Erin, Michelle, and James, who quickly realise what was about to kick off. The penultimate episode comes to a haunting close with the adults celebrating in the street because the IRA called a ceasefire after 25 years of violence.

Bill Clinton Comes to Derry, and James Leaves

The final episode sees fever pitch in Derry when Bill Clinton is scheduled to visit. Granda Joe decides he's going to meet President Clinton at any cost, and the girls want to take Chelsea Clinton to the local swimming pool because the wave machine has been fixed. The biggest scandal of all is that James's mum, Cathy (Bronagh Waugh), arrives in town unexpectedly after having abandoned him some time ago. James announces that he'll be returning to London with his mum, and the girls are pretty upset, no more so than Michelle. She delivers a memorable speech about him being a Derry Girl, telling him that "being a Derry Girl, it's a f*cking state of mind." James leaves, and while Derry rapturously receives the president, the girls are distraught — until a commotion alerts them to James behind them. James decides to stay, and the gang are reunited against a backdrop of a rousing speech from the president about a peaceful and hopeful future for the young people of Derry.

We know that the upcoming series of the show will unfortunately be the last. With Northern Ireland in a more peaceful place, it will be interesting to see how this will shift the narrative of the show and what will become of the girls (and James) as they come of age. We have no doubt that the laughs and tender moments will be in plentiful supply, despite the change in the landscape.