Roisin Gallagher

Róisín Alice Gallagher is an actress and playwright from Northern Ireland. She began her career in theatre. On television, she is known for her roles in the BritBox series The Dry (2022–2026), the Sky Atlantic series The Lovers and the Netflix series How to Get to Heaven from Belfast (2026). She has received IFTA and British Academy Television Award nominations.

Early life Gallagher is from Andersonstown, a suburb of West Belfast, Northern Ireland, and was born to father Daniel (died 2017) from County Tyrone and mother Pat. She was raised Catholic and has three older sisters and a younger brother.

Gallagher attended St Genevieve's High School. She graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in Acting from the Royal Scottish Academy of Music and Drama (now the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland). Gallagher lived in London after graduating from drama school but returned to Belfast as "It just wasn't my time. The work wasn't coming [yet]".

Career Gallagher made her television debut as Alicia Hodge in two 2009 episodes of the BBC One medical soap opera Doctors. Her early stage work includes The Bloody Chamber and The Wicked Lady in England, and Be My Baby and Sleep Eat Party in Belfast. She starred as the titular character in The Haunting of Helena Blunden at the Waterfront Hall. This was followed by Dockers and White Star of the North at the Lyric Theatre, Belfast. She would return to the Lyric for Weddins, Weeins and Wakes, Demented, Pentecost, Stitched Up, Little Red Riding Hood, Love or Money, Smiley, and Bah, Humbug!.

In 2012, Gallagher played Helena in A Midsummer Night's Dream at the Royal Lyceum Theatre in Edinburgh. The following year, she made her feature film debut in actor Paul Kennedy's 2013 directorial debut Made in Belfast. She played DC Emer Taylor in the BBC Two crime drama The Fall. At the Belfast Festival at Queen's, she appeared in Belfast by Moonlight and debuted the play The Holy Holy Bus, which she would return to. Her other stage work includes Playhouse Creatures in Lisburn.

Gallagher wrote her first play Natural Disaster to process her grief over losing her father in 2017. After starring in Abigail's Party at the MAC, Gallagher premiered her play there. She also returned to A Midsummer Night's Dream, this time playing Hermia at Queen's Hall in Newtownards, went on tour with Is That Too Hot?, and appeared in The Real Housewives of Norn Iron at the Grand Opera House. The following year, Gallagher returned to film in Nowhere Special.

In 2021, it was announced Gallagher would star in her first lead television role as Shiv Sheridan in the BritBox and RTÉ comedy-drama The Dry, which premiered in 2022. She also appeared in the horror film Mandrake and the television film St Mungo's. She also appears opposite Johnny Flynn in the Sky Atlantic series The Lovers.

Personal life Gallagher is married. The couple met in 2012 while Gallagher was in Edinburgh for A Midsummer Night's Dream. They have two sons. Regarding religion, Gallagher considers herself spiritual. Laura Hampton Recurring role 2026 How to Get to Heaven from Belfast Saoirse 8 episodes

Stage Year Title Role Notes 2008 The Bloody Chamber The Girl Northern Stage, Newcastle upon Tyne 2009 Be My Baby Mary Adams Lyric Theatre, Belfast The Wicked Lady Barbara New Vic Theatre, Newcastle-under-Lyme Sleep Eat Party Various Old Museum Arts Centre, Belfast 2010 The Haunting of Helena Blunden Helena Waterfront Hall, Belfast 2011 Dockers Theresa Graham Lyric Theatre, Belfast 2012 White Star of the North Evelyn Massey A Midsummer Night's Dream Helena Royal Lyceum Theatre, Edinburgh 2013 Weddins, Weeins and Wakes Wendy Lyric Theatre, Belfast Belfast by Moonlight Susannah Belfast Festival at Queen's 2014 Demented Felicity Lyric Theatre, Belfast Pentecost Ruth 2014–2017 The Holy Holy Bus Sally Belfast Festival at Queen's / Waterfront Hall / Lyric Theatre 2015 Stitched Up Kate McAllister Lyric Theatre, Belfast Lally the Scut Lally The MAC, Belfast Lanciatore Wife Cathedral Quarter Arts Festival Playhouse Creatures Mrs Marshall Island Arts Centre, Lisburn Little Red Riding Hood Rachel Lyric Theatre, Belfast 2016 Love or Money Eilish Smiley Charlie 2018 The Man Who Fell to Pieces Caroline The MAC, Belfast Abigail's Party Beverly Bah, Humbug! Various Lyric Theatre, Belfast 2019 Is That Too Hot? Olive Ireland tour Natural Disaster PlaywrightThe MAC, Belfast A Midsummer Night's Dream Hermia Queen’s Hall, Newtownards The Real Housewives of Norn Iron Cynthia Grand Opera House, Belfast

Awards and nominations Year Award Category Work Result Ref. 2023 Irish Film & Television Awards Lead Actress – Drama The Dry 2024 British Academy Television Awards Best Female Comedy Performance The Lovers