Philippa Dunne

Philippa Dunne is an Irish actress and writer. She is known for co-writing and starring in the RTÉ comedy The Walshes, as well as her roles as Anne Flynn in Motherland and its spin-off Amandaland, Geraldine Devlin in Derry Girls and Ria in This Is Going to Hurt.

Life and career Dunne was born in County Dublin and raised in County Mayo, Ireland. She trained at the Gaiety School of Acting before beginning her professional career in 2009. She made her acting and writing debut in the television film Dublin Stories and appeared in two episodes of Rental Boys. In 2010, she co-wrote and appeared in The Taste of Home. In 2014, she wrote and starred in the RTÉ One comedy The Walshes as Carmel Walsh.

Since 2016, Dunne has portrayed Anne Flynn in the BBC Two comedy Motherland, appearing in all 19 episodes. In 2019, she began appearing in the Channel 4 sitcom Derry Girls as Geraldine Devlin, the mother of established character Clare Devlin. Dunne appeared in the series on a recurring basis until its end in May 2022. Dunne was then cast in the BBC One medical comedy-drama series This Is Going to Hurt as Ria, the receptionist. The series began airing on 8 February 2022. She also appeared as a contestant on Celebrity Mastermind, with her specialist subject being the 1980 Stanley Kubrick film The Shining.

For her performance in Amandaland, Dunne received a nomination for the British Academy Television Award for Best Female Comedy Performance in 2026. Her co-stars Lucy Punch and Jennifer Saunders also received nominations.

Dunne is married; she and her husband have one child, born in late 2020. Dunne's infant child appeared in the third series of Motherland as Niamh, the daughter of Dunne's character.

Filmography Year Title Role Notes 2009 Dublin Stories Orflaith Television film; also writer 2009 Rental Boys Kato/Princess Nagsrec 2 episodes 2010 The Taste of Home Carmel Also writer 2014 The Walshes Carmel Walsh Main role; also writer 2014 Glue Nurse Petra 1 episode 2016 Sky Comedy Shorts: Quints Lenore Kavanagh Television film; also writer 2016–2022 Motherland Anne Flynn Main role 2017 The School Eunice Lordan 3 episodes 2018 Sky Comedy Shorts Susan Episode: "Kris Marshall's Whodunnit" 2019–2022 Derry Girls Geraldine Devlin Recurring role; 7 episodes 2020 The Bright Side A&E receptionist Film 2021 The Nevers Mrs. Haplisch Episode: "Money" 2022 This Is Going to Hurt Ria Main role 2022 Celebrity Mastermind Herself Contestant 2022 Shelf Life Dorothy Short film 2023 The Woman in the Wall Niamh Recurring role 2023 Bodies Lorna Dunnet Recurring role 2024 Inside No. 9 Elena Series 9 episode 1: "Boo to a Goose"2024The Completely Made-Up Adventures of Dick TurpinSlakeSeries 1 Episode 2: "The Unrobbable Coach" 2025 Amandaland Anne Flynn Main Role 2025 How Are You? It's Alan (Partridge) Leona Maguire Episode 2 2026 Believe Me Harriet Wistrich Two episodes