Jamie Dornan 'emotional' at Derry Girls finale | Concerns over NI politics and co-education

Jamie Dornan has described feeling emotional at the end of Derry Girls, as well as his frustration at the "shambles" at Stormont.

He admitted sending the "soppiest text message" to its writer Lisa McGee after watching the final episode of the hit series - which captures the sense of hope in 1998 at the signing of the Belfast Agreement following decades of violence.

Appearing at an Our Place In Space event at the Lyric Theatre in Belfast to talk about integrated education, Dornan also hit out at the current impasse at Stormont.

He described local politics as a "shambles" and politicians as "archaic" in the way they talk "in the same sentences they've been talking about for 50 years" - a situation exasperated by Brexit.

"They are not the conversations we should be having. It's ultimately really damaging," he told the PA news agency.

"Obviously Brexit has called into question so many uncomfortable truths for people here, questions about the very case of how you identify has been upended by Brexit and suddenly all these people who, all they care about is feeling British, feel like they are undermined by not feeling British enough. It's a mess, that's not changing."

Mr Dornan described his experience attending Methodist College, a school which is mixed in terms of pupils' backgrounds - although not in the officially integrated sector, as having shaped him.

He said the scenes in Derry Girls where the girls take part in cross community programmes reminded him of his school days going on a school trip to the Share Centre in Co Fermanagh.

"I massively identified with Derry Girls, I get emotional talking about the finale," he said.

"I know Lisa well, that's about the soppiest text I have ever sent to anybody when I finished the finale, trying to tackle the nuanced complications of being from this part of the world at that time with such integrity and such humour is almost impossible, I don't know how she managed to do it, it's incredible and so poignant."

He said those of his and McGee's generation are now making the decision about where to send their children to school.

"We're in a post-conflict society and your decision making on where to send your kids to school has altered," he said.

"Methody shaped me...it was then slightly more Protestant than now, but also had a big international community. The mixing of all those different elements is a helpful thing, to have a broader understanding of what it's all about.

"Division never felt real, it was never near the surface. It wasn't a thing, I feel like as time goes on, the influence of the church is weakening."

While most Protestant pupils attend controlled schools in Northern Ireland and most Catholic children attend maintained schools, both sectors insist they are not exclusive to single faiths and have increasingly diverse intakes.

Currently around 7% of schoolchildren in Northern Ireland attend a school officially designated as integrated. Just under 70 of the region's 1,091 schools are integrated.

Mr Dornan described the figures as too low.

"I have a strong understanding of why there would be certain factions of society who would be opposed to that faction being bigger, but I don't think taking kids at four years old and dividing them, and deepening the idea of division and tribalism is the right way to go," he said.

However he conceded some schools outside the sector, such as Methody, are more mixed than some realise.

"When people find out I went to Methody, they instantly think, 'you're just some posh prod', I guess officially I kind of am, but I was also brought up non-religious, and I have never felt more Protestant than Catholic," he said.

The event comes on the 40th anniversary of the founding of the first integrated school in Northern Ireland, Lagan College on the outskirts of South Belfast.

Our Place In Space is running a programme of free events at venues across Belfast from June 27 - July 3.

[Yathome]

We all get emotional about that show and I’m American, I can’t imagine the feelings of those from the actual country. ❤

[sagelovescoffee]

Derry Girls is such an amazing show!!! I wish it went on forever! Such great acting and scriptwriting 😊

[pammcmurtry]

I'm totally in awe of this awesome man! He's just wonderful!

[thecircledk]

Derry back then (and even now) is seen more as a border town... and treated investment wise like it's in Donegal (ie very little investment) even though it's NI's second city !!
Derry people may have NI accents but are more akin to the southern Irish in personalities and it is true...for a "city" with a population of 150k+ "everybody knows everybody knows everyone" lol

[victoriadavislg]

Really loved the series and being able to learn about the troubles and has made me research and watch more documentary’s as well as movies too like Bloody Sunday

[oman]

Is it true what he said about less than 7% of primary school education being integrated?

[riseshies]

Looking forward always quality and fun in life

[Yathome]

Is he talking about segregation of children?? UGH!

[MadjaAdeeb]

He should have guest-starred and played the hot plumber, Gabriel in that DG episode. Jamie is much better looking guy by Euro-centric beauty standards than the guy they got to play that character.

[גילתברכה]

בחור יפה מאד חתיך מדבר יפה אוהבת מישראל

[maritadiller]

Jamie Dornan hat sich nach Belfast total verändert! Schade! Lebt er jetzt in Irland??

[beteoliveira]

Não gosto dele e nojento ganhou o dinheiro 💰 pra sua vida e fala mal do filme de outra atriz e sem uma sinceridade