If ever there was a show to take us out of our post-Christmas doom and gloom, it's Derry Girls, which kicked off last night on Channel 4. The new comedy is set against the Troubles in early-1990s Northern Ireland and follows the lives of four teenage girls (and the wee English fella) who are navigating through their youth during a time of war and conflict in a sort of Inbetweeners style way.

The show, written by Lisa McGee, also marks Tommy Tiernan's return to acting in his first major role since he won us all over as depressed priest Father Kevin in Channel 4's most famous comedy hit, Father Ted (you might have heard of it). He plays the dad to 16-year-old Erin and although he only had a few lines in last night's opening episode, he delivered them well and we're looking forward to seeing more of him.

The half-hour comedy took us all back to secondary school days in the nineties and would have particularly rang true to you convent school folk out there. It was a time when the nuns ruled the roost, expressing any signs of personality in your uniform was strictly forbidden and who sat where on the school bus was of pivotal importance to the hierarchy.

We'll admit, at times it did feel a little rough around the edges and some jokes just didn't really land, but for a pilot, it successfully managed to introduce us to the major personalities of the show (the classic four-temperament ensemble we all know and love) and there were still more than a handful of laugh out loud moments. Overall, it was the warm, funny and lively anecdote we needed this January, and we will definitely be back for more.

We won't be the only ones either...


Derry Girls is back next Thursday at 10pm on Channel 4.