Roisin Gallagher made her television debut back in 2009 with a part in a couple of episodes of BBC soap Doctors. It wasn’t until 2021 that she had her first major TV role, the year the news of her new part in The Dry was announced. Quite a delay, but in between, Roisin Gallagher was working in theatres in Belfast.
Things have escalated since then. She’s been IFTA-nominated, BAFTA TV nominated, and starred in a Netflix series from the writer behind Derry Girls. If you’ve seen her on your screens recently and wondered where she’d come from, that’d be most of our Northern Irish stages.
From Andersonstown to drama school
Gallagher grew up in Andersonstown, raised Catholic, with three older sisters and a younger brother. She went to St Genevieve’s High School. She still lives in the area. In a 2023 interview, she said she lives in Andersonstown and likes that the city is never far from the sea or the mountains.
Roisin Gallagher gave London a shot after drama school in Glasgow, but nothing happened. She has said “the work just wasn’t there yet” and she went back home to Belfast. Not a huge step back, but one that did define the type of career she would have. Back home, she was a fixture at the Lyric Theatre and elsewhere.
A long apprenticeship in theatre
Her stage credits are extensive. Her first professional job was The Haunting of Helena Blunden at the Waterfront Hall and then Dockers and White Star of the North at the Lyric, going on to feature in projects such as Pentecost, Stitched Up, Smiley and the Lyric’s seasonal productions. She starred as Helena in A Midsummer Night’s Dream in Edinburgh in 2012 and as Hermia in the same production.
She writes as well. Her first play, Natural Disaster, came out of grief after her father died in 2017. It premiered at the MAC in Belfast after she appeared there in Abigail’s Party. Writing is a side of Roisin Gallagher that gets left out of most TV profiles. Screen work was there too, just in smaller doses. She appeared in the feature Made in Belfast in 2013 and played DC Emer Taylor in two episodes of the BBC crime drama The Fall.
The Dry changed things
The Dry is a BritBox and RTÉ comedy-drama in which Gallagher plays Shiv Sheridan. Shiv is a woman in her thirties who comes home to her chaotic Dublin family and tries to stay sober. Writer Nancy Harris’s work gets sharper in series two, according to one review, which says it lets Gallagher shine.
The performance got attention at awards time. She was nominated for Best Lead Actress in a Drama at the Irish Film and Television Awards for the role. The show has now finished. In April 2026, it was reported that the third and final season had started airing in Ireland. Gallagher said that Harris had always planned three seasons.
The Lovers and the BAFTA nomination
While The Dry made her famous in Ireland, The Lovers was the show that made her a household name in the UK. Set and shot in Belfast, the six-part romcom on Sky Atlantic is centered around a supermarket worker named Janet, played by Gallagher, and a political talk show host called Seamus, played by Johnny Flynn. The series is from Drama Republic (Normal People) and was written by playwright David Ireland.
This role even got her a nod for Best Female Comedy Performance at the 2024 British Academy Television Awards. It also allowed the story to stay in Belfast, with a Belfast actor taking center stage. That obviously meant something to her. She has discussed in interviews the way the series showcases the city in a positive light.
How to Get to Heaven from Belfast
Her most high-profile work so far has been Netflix How to Get to Heaven from Belfast, from Lisa McGee, the creator of Derry Girls. Gallagher plays Saoirse in the sitcom about three lifelong friends in their late 30s, who reunite when they hear one has died. The show features Sinéad Keenan and Caoilfhionn Dunne, and all eight episodes were released on 12 February 2026. Gallagher’s character is Saoirse Shaw, a TV writer.
More recent news: a report from September 2026 says Netflix won’t be renewing the series. This is news about the show’s future, not about the future of a Gallagher. Other work of hers is Lazarus – the Harlan Coben adaptation – in which she appears as Laura Hampton in a recurring capacity. Filming is underway on a project named Skintown, but little else could be found about this project here.
Why people keep searching for Roisin Gallagher
Most of the search results appear to be people who saw her in a show and are wondering what she has done before. The answer: quite a lot, mostly on stage, and that’s the explanation for her uncanny habit of appearing out of nowhere.
There are also questions about personal life. She is married, and the couple met in 2012 when she was in Edinburgh for A Midsummer Night’s Dream. They have two sons. Apart from that, she hasn’t made her private life a defining factor in her media image, so relying on her own interviews is probably your best bet over tabloids.
The name is also confusing. She is credited as Roisin, Róisín, and at times Roísín, and some listings lump her together with other people with the same name. Given the discrepancy about her birthday on various credit pages, take the exact day with a grain of salt.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQS)
Who is Roisin Gallagher?
Roisin Gallagher grew up in Andersonstown in West Belfast. Trained as a stage actress, she went on to make appearances in various television programmes such as The Dry, The Lovers and How to Get to Heaven from Belfast on Netflix.
What role is Roisin Gallagher famous for?
You may have heard her as The Dry’s Shiv Sheridan or The Lovers’ Janet. She is currently playing the role of Saoirse in How to Get to Heaven from Belfast. Other roles include The Fall and Lazarus.
What awards has Roisin Gallagher won?
She has been nominated but has not won. 2024 – British Academy Television Award for Best Female Comedy Performance – The Lovers; 2024 – Irish Film and Television Academy Awards for Best Lead Actress in a Drama – The Dry.
Is Roisin Gallagher married?
Yes! She has also revealed that she met her husband in 2012 while living in Edinburgh, working on A Midsummer Night’s Dream. Gallagher is a mother to two boys. The actor hasn’t confirmed much else about their relationship.
Has How to Get to Heaven from Belfast been renewed for a second season?
No, it doesn’t seem likely. September 2026, it was reported that Netflix would not be renewing the show after its first series of eight episodes. Gallagher still has more projects coming out, such as Lazarus, so stay tuned for updates as she has new shows.
