Derry Girls season 3 ending: what happened in final episode on Good Friday Agreement - and who made cameos?

Liam Neeson and Chelsea Clinton appeared in the finale of series 3
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The final episode of the acclaimed series Derry Girls aired on Channel 4 on 18 May.

The poignant bonus episode called, ‘Agreement,’ picked up one year on from when the finale left off.

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The focus of the episode was the signing of the Good Friday Agreement, which was the first building block for a shared future in Northern Ireland and the emotive yes, no vote debate which followed.

Fans have been left reeling after the final episode, which also featured cameo appearances from actor Liam Neeson and Bill Clinton’s daughter, Chelsea Clinton

In Northern Ireland especially, the episode brought back emotive memories of that time.

Here’s everything you need to know about the season three ending of Derry Girls.

What happened in the last episode of Derry Girls?

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The final episode marks a new chapter, not just for our five friends as they prepare for adulthood, but for Northern Ireland.

Derry Girls, season three finale ‘Agreement’ episode (Pic: Peter Marley/Channel 4)Derry Girls, season three finale ‘Agreement’ episode (Pic: Peter Marley/Channel 4)
Derry Girls, season three finale ‘Agreement’ episode (Pic: Peter Marley/Channel 4)

We join Erin, Michelle, Orla, Clare and James in 1998, with the vote for the Good Friday Agreement falling on Michelle and Erin’s 18th birthday party.

The episode focuses around the decision on whether to vote yes for the Good Friday Agreement or no.

A poignant scene is when Erin speaks to Grandad Joe, sharing her worries.

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She asks: "What if we vote yes and it doesn’t even work?" With Grandad Joe replying: "But what if it does? What if no one else has to die and this becomes a ghost story you tell your weans one day?"

We see the gang together, after voting, with a news announcement confirming 71.12% of Northern Ireland voted yes, marking a turning point in the road to peace.

What does the season 3 ending mean?

The final scene for Derry Girls actually draws on real life events.

In the final seconds, the show shoots to present-day New York, where Bill Clinton’s daughter, Chelsea Clinton opens a letter that got lost in the post.

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The letter is from Erin, who wrote to her before the Clinton’s trip to Derry back in 1995.

In it, she invites her to be a Derry Girl, as The Corrs, ‘So Young’ plays in the background.

President Bill Clinton and his family visited Northern Ireland in 1995.

He delivered a poignant message of hope to Derry residents at the city’s Guildhall Square, which was featured in Derry Girls season two.

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Derry Girls writer Lisa McGee shared she too wrote a letter to Clinton in the past, just the same as Erin did.

In her letter she had invited her to see a film at the city’s Strand Cinema.

Speaking to the New York Times about her letter she said: “She never replied.”

She added: “The innocence of that. Living in this place that’s violent and scary, but we were these eejits running about writing letters to Chelsea Clinton.”

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The personal addition to the final episode, brought everything back around.

What was the Good Friday Agreement?

The Good Friday Agreement, also known as the Belfast Agreement, was signed in 1998.

It was an agreement between the British and Irish governments and political parties in Northern Ireland on how Northern Ireland should be governed.

The main aim of the Good Friday Agreement was to establish a new devolved government in which Unionists and Nationalists jointly shared power together.

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It addressed the issues that led to Northern Ireland’s conflict known as the Troubles and paved the way for peace in the region.

The agreement was put to a referendum on 22 May 1998, with voters either for or against it.

Every household in Northern Ireland received a copy of the Good Friday Agreement.

The yes vote won with over 71 percent in support.

Who made a cameo appearance?

The final episode featured two famous cameos.

Liam Neeson (Taken, Blacklight) returned as Chief Constable Byers, for an incredibly moving scene where he casts his vote.

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Neeson’s character doesn’t say anything, with one fan sharing on Twitter: “Sometimes there are no words that can adequately capture the emotion and significance of something as horrific as Bloody Sunday or important as the Good Friday Agreement.

“Liam Neeson does it with no words at all. Floored me. Peace in Northern Ireland MUST be protected”

The second cameo was made by Chelsea Clinton, daughter of former US President Bill Clinton.

She features at the end of the episode after opening a long-lost letter sent to her by Erin before her family visited Derry in 1995.

In real life, Derry Girls writer Lisa McGee wrote a letter to the former president’s daughter inviting her to the cinema whilst visiting the city.

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