Derry Girls series 2 has set its release date, with Channel 4 confirming that the show will return on Tuesday 5th March at 9.15pm. We’ve got the details, and the first image of Father Ted‘s Ardal O’Hanlon in the show, right here…

The Radio Times reports that iconic Father Dougal Maguire actor will play “Eamonn, the awkward, middle-aged mummy’s boy of the Quinn/McCool extended family” as a guest role in the long-awaited Derry Girls series 2.

Here’s the first picture of Ardal O’Hanlon in the show…

Nicola Coughlan (who plays Claire) described Eamonn as “a real Irish stereotype”, but noted that he’s “not a priest” in this one. That would probably be a bit too on-the-nose, wouldn’t it?

“I think it’s something that everybody will recognise, and he completely gets it so on the money,” Coughlan added. “It was really surreal, just looking at him, because he’s such an iconic figure in Ireland, and he’s such a lovely man. He’s so good in it.”

Coughlan also said this, recalling some fun times on set:

“There’s a scene where it gets quite physical, and [writer and creator] Lisa [McGee] came over. She was like, ‘Don’t bully Ardal’. And we were like, ‘We’re not bullying him, he’s like a national treasure!’ ‘Cause we had to like go for it in the scene.”

Also, here’s the Derry Girls series 2 trailer…

We’ll keep you posted as we hear more. March 5th is the Derry Girls series 2 air date to mark in your diary.