Knockdara and all the locations where How to Get to Heaven from Belfast was filmed
Posted by Ra Moon
Set in the fictional town of Knockdara, How to Get to Heaven from Belfast was primarily filmed in Northern Ireland, with additional locations in Ireland, London, and Malta.
The dark comedy-drama created by Lisa McGee, the writer of Derry Girls, follows three estranged childhood friends who reunite in Belfast after the sudden death of a former friend, only to uncover long-buried secrets about their past.
Welcome to Knockdara and our spoiler-free guide to all the filming locations of How to Get to Heaven from Belfast. You'll find the locations in order of first appearance.
The dark comedy-drama created by Lisa McGee, the writer of Derry Girls, follows three estranged childhood friends who reunite in Belfast after the sudden death of a former friend, only to uncover long-buried secrets about their past.
Welcome to Knockdara and our spoiler-free guide to all the filming locations of How to Get to Heaven from Belfast. You'll find the locations in order of first appearance.
Where was How to Get to Heaven from Belfast filmed?
The first scene with Roisin Gallagher as Saoirse in London was filmed at the Seahorse Restaurant, an elegant fine-dining venue located on the second floor of the Grand Central Hotel in central Belfast.
The exterior scene when Saoirse leaves the restaurant was actually filmed in central London by the River Thames, near Blackfriars Bridge.
Image courtesy of Netflix - Map
Belfast City Airport is located close to the city centre. For Dara (played by Caoilfhionn Dunne), the car park was extortionate, so she and Robyn (Sinéad Keenan) wait for Saoirse on nearby industrial land in the Titanic Quarter, with the Samson and Goliath cranes as a backdrop.
From Belfast, the trio heads to Donegal in Ireland, crossing scenic landscapes until the petrol station.
Pictured are the Sliabh Liag sea cliffs in County Donegal, rising nearly 600 metres above the Atlantic Ocean, offering some of the highest and most spectacular coastal views in Europe.
Image courtesy of Netflix - Map
The Knockdara village
The welcome to Knockdara sign (Fáilte go Knockdara) and the panoramic view of the town were filmed in Ardglass, a fishing village on the east coast of County Down, Northern Ireland.
This image, pictured with the harbour, appears in the fifth episode.
Image courtesy of Netflix - Map
The Knockdara Hotel exterior and reception hall was filmed at the Harbourview Hotel in Carnlough, a small coastal village in County Antrim.
Originally built in the 19th century, this charming hotel’s typical room rates are around £100–£140 per night.
Image courtesy of Netflix and Google Maps
The How to Get to Heaven from Belfast house
The Elm Manor in Knockdara Village, Co. Donegal, is located near St John’s Point Lighthouse in Killough, County Down, about an hour’s drive south of Belfast.
Image courtesy of Netflix - Map
The St Mary's Christian Brothers' Grammar School in Belfast doubles as the Our Lady of the Sorrows College.
Founded in 1859, the school also has a large sports track, featured in the series.
Image courtesy of Netflix - Map
The area with the little roadside shrine is the Mamore Gap, a scenic mountain pass on the Inishowen Peninsula in County Donegal, Ireland.
Mamore Gap is known for its steep, winding road and panoramic views over the Urris Hills and the Atlantic coast.
Image courtesy of Netflix - Map
The dock scene in London, just before the BAFTA ceremony, was filmed outside the Oxo Tower Wharf on the South Bank in London.
Image courtesy of Netflix - Map
However, the BAFTA reception was filmed at the Lyric Theatre Belfast hall, which opened in 2011 on the banks of the River Lagan near Queen’s University.
Image courtesy of Netflix - Map
This church is St Patrick’s, a historic Roman Catholic church in the Cathedral Quarter area of Belfast.
Opened in 1877, it was designed in the Gothic Revival style.
Image courtesy of Netflix - Map
The modern house, located in the Orlock coastal area in County Down, Northern Ireland, was featured in an episode of RTÉ's Home of the Year.
This stylish residence with a 60s vibe is called Fliphouse, as the bedrooms are at the bottom and the living area is on top to maximise views.
Image courtesy of Netflix - Map
This church exterior, also in the second episode, "The Secret", is the iconic Sacred Heart Catholic Church in Money Beg, Donegal.
This photogenic church, with its distinctive design, is located at the foot of Mount Errigal.
Image courtesy of Netflix - Map
The funeral is held at the Antrim and Newtownabbey Crematorium near Mossley.
Image courtesy of Netflix - Map
St. John's Point Lighthouse is a 19th-century landmark on the east coast of County Down, marking the entrance to Dundrum Bay.
First lit in 1844 and later rebuilt in 1893, it is distinctive for its black-and-yellow banded tower and continues to guide vessels along this stretch of the Irish Sea.
Image courtesy of Netflix - Map
The Calmas Águas Azuis hotel in Portugal, which appears for the first time in the third episode, "The Ghost", is the Salini Resort, overlooking Salina Bay in St Paul’s Bay, Malta.
This 4-star seaside hotel, renovated in 2015 with modern rooms and an infinity pool, has average prices ranging from roughly €80–€180 (£70–£157 GBP) per night.
Image courtesy of Netflix - Map
But in the fourth episode, "The Girl From Sagres", some parts of Calmas Águas Azuis were filmed at the The Westin Dragonara Resort, a luxury 5-star hotel on a private peninsula in St Julian’s, Malta.
With direct access to the Mediterranean and panoramic sea views near the Dragonara Casino, the resort was opened in the late 1990s and extensively refurbished in recent years.
Typical room rates usually range from around €120–€290 (£105–£250) per night.
Image courtesy of Netflix - Map
The Titanic Studios in Belfast became internationally famous as the primary production base for Game of Thrones.
Constructed inside former shipbuilding paint halls, the studios have hosted numerous large-scale productions, more recently A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms.
Image courtesy of Netflix - Map
The scene pictured was filmed in a point overlooking Murlough Bay, a stunning remote bay on Northern Ireland's Antrim coast between Fair Head and Torr Head.
The bay is known for dramatic sea views to Rathlin Island and Scotland, plus wooded cliffs and ancient lime kilns.
Image courtesy of Netflix - Map
The rustic accommodation was filmed under the Church of the Nativity of the Virgin Mary, located in the hilltop town of l-Imtaħleb, Ir-Rabat, on the west part of Malta.
Image courtesy of Netflix - Map
In the fifth episode, "The Box", Liam (Darragh Hand) is outside the Our Lady Star of the Sea Church in Rossglass.
In the series, it seems as though he's on the other side of the bay in Knockdara, which was filmed in Ardglass.
Image courtesy of Netflix - Map
After landing at Dublin Airport, the St Patrick's parade was filmed on the streets around Parnell Square in Dublin.
The bridge is Grattan Bridge in central Dublin, located about a mile and a half from the square.
Image courtesy of Netflix - Maps: Dublin Airport / Parnell Square / Bridge
This shot shows Jordan's Castle, a 15th-century tower house located in Ardglass, one of several medieval tower houses in the village.
Image courtesy of Netflix - Map
Founded around 1030, Christ Church Cathedral in Dublin is one of the city’s oldest and most historic buildings, featuring a mix of medieval and Victorian architecture following extensive 19th-century restorations.
Image courtesy of Netflix - Map
RTÉ Studios in Dublin where The Late Late Show is recorded was filmed at Titanic Belfast, a museum dedicated to the ill-fated ship.
Opened in 2012, it stands on the site of the former Harland & Wolff shipyard, where the RMS Titanic was built between 1909 and 1912.
Image courtesy of Netflix - Map
The hospital in the sixth episode "Separate But Inseparable", is the Queen’s University Belfast Medical Biology Centre.
Image courtesy of Netflix - Map
In the seventh episode, "Outlaws, Liars and Fallen Angels", The Ponderosa, a real Irish restaurant located on the Glenshane Pass in Northern Ireland, appears.
Image courtesy of Netflix - Map
Later in the same episode, the girls are at Commercial Court, a narrow cobbled alley in the Cathedral Quarter of Belfast.
Renowned for its colourful overhead neon umbrellas, it is one of the city’s most photographed and Instagrammed spots.
Image courtesy of Netflix - Map
Tommy’s Ellem garage was filmed at a former petrol station on a road outside Holywood, near Belfast.
Image courtesy of Netflix - Map
In the series finale, "Anagnorisis", there is a scene filmed at the Peace Bridge, a pedestrian and cycle bridge in Derry/Londonderry.
Image courtesy of Netflix - Map
The Derry Girls Mural, located in the city centre of Derry, pays tribute to the hit Channel 4 comedy series.
The appearance of the mural in How to Get to Heaven from Belfast serves as a subtle homage by Lisa McGee to her earlier hit series, linking both shows within the same cultural landscape.
Image courtesy of Netflix - Map
The nursing home is the Lorne Estate, a 21-acre property overlooking Belfast Lough in Holywood.
Situated about 8 miles northeast of Belfast, it features expansive gardens, woodland, and the elegant semi-circular glasshouse seen in a scene.
Image courtesy of Netflix - Map
The Heaven’s Veil (Caille Neamh) area was filmed at the Hidden Village of Galboly, an abandoned rural settlement in the Glens of Antrim.
The village was once a small farming community of stone cottages, but depopulation during the 19th and 20th centuries left it largely deserted, with the last resident remaining there until 2013.
Galboly has been used as a filming location in many productions. The menhir stones and the chapel were film props.
Image courtesy of Netflix - Map
Can you help to improve this article about the filming locations of How to Get to Heaven from Belfast? To complete and correct this report, any feedback, info, or images that you may have are more than welcome, thank you!
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NOTICE: If you’re using this information on your website, please credit and link to this page as a source.
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19 comments:
1- Anonymous - Feb 13, 2026, 5:00 PM
The garage in the last two episodes, where they have a lot of meeting scenes, is located at 82 Ballymiscaw Road in the Craigantlet Hills. It used to be a well-used local garage until it closed a few years ago.
2- Anonymous - Feb 14, 2026, 10:41 AM
It's Moneybeg, Donegal. Not Moneybag.
Reply
3- Ra Moon - Feb 14, 2026, 11:29 AM
Thank you, updated!
4- Anonymous - Feb 14, 2026, 7:55 PM
Thanks for this great location information.
5- Tellmethis - Feb 15, 2026, 12:13 PM
James Martin, who plays Tommy Ellem in the service station shop, has already walked the red carpet. He starred in An Irish Goodbye, which won the Oscar and Bafta awards in 2023.
6- Anonymous - Feb 18, 2026, 4:01 PM
Holywood is in County Down and is on the eastern shore of Belfast Lough, and not north of Belfast.
Reply
7- Ra Moon - Feb 18, 2026, 11:50 PM
Yep, sorry, the garage is located almost on the border with County Antrim, but it's still in County Down. North-east is more accurate.
8- Anonymous - Feb 22, 2026, 1:32 PM
The petrol station is in County Down and nowhere near the border with County Antrim, which runs along the River Lagan.
Reply
9- Ra Moon - Feb 23, 2026, 8:57 AM
I see. Then, the borders shown in Google Maps are not accurate.
10- Anonymous - Feb 23, 2026, 10:59 PM
Hi, you forgot to add the best place - Murlough Bay.
Reply
11- Ra Moon - Feb 24, 2026, 11:20 AM
Thank you, updated!
12- Anonymous - Mar 4, 2026, 12:23 AM
The location in episode 8 where she is picked up in a blue truck, is that location Ravensdale County, Louth?
13- Anonymous - Mar 7, 2026, 12:31 AM
Pretty sure the scene in the queue outside the 'RTE Studio' was in fact outside the Bord Gais theatre, with the Marker Hotel behind it. I work in the area so it seems very likely. Love the write up anyway - it's a cracking show!
14- Anonymous - Mar 7, 2026, 11:30 AM
Thank you, this is a lovely show. The confusion about locations where the show was taking place is difficult for those of us in the US. I recognize Belfast and Donegal names from life. You did such a thorough job with all the information and photos, it helps to enjoy the show.
15- Anonymous - Mar 22, 2026, 1:40 PM
The crematorium is in Newtownabbey, near Mossley.
16- Anonymous - Mar 24, 2026, 8:25 AM
Galboly is not managed by the National Trust - it has a private landowner.
Reply
17- Ra Moon - Mar 24, 2026, 1:02 PM
Thank you all, updated!
18- Anonymous - Mar 26, 2026, 6:44 AM
The motel they visit in Episode 7 (the one owned by Norman) is located in Omeath, County Louth.
Reply
19- Ra Moon - Mar 26, 2026, 1:45 PM
Where exactly in Omeath?
1- Anonymous - Feb 13, 2026, 5:00 PM
The garage in the last two episodes, where they have a lot of meeting scenes, is located at 82 Ballymiscaw Road in the Craigantlet Hills. It used to be a well-used local garage until it closed a few years ago.
2- Anonymous - Feb 14, 2026, 10:41 AM
It's Moneybeg, Donegal. Not Moneybag.
Reply
3- Ra Moon - Feb 14, 2026, 11:29 AM
Thank you, updated!
4- Anonymous - Feb 14, 2026, 7:55 PM
Thanks for this great location information.
5- Tellmethis - Feb 15, 2026, 12:13 PM
James Martin, who plays Tommy Ellem in the service station shop, has already walked the red carpet. He starred in An Irish Goodbye, which won the Oscar and Bafta awards in 2023.
6- Anonymous - Feb 18, 2026, 4:01 PM
Holywood is in County Down and is on the eastern shore of Belfast Lough, and not north of Belfast.
Reply
7- Ra Moon - Feb 18, 2026, 11:50 PM
Yep, sorry, the garage is located almost on the border with County Antrim, but it's still in County Down. North-east is more accurate.
8- Anonymous - Feb 22, 2026, 1:32 PM
The petrol station is in County Down and nowhere near the border with County Antrim, which runs along the River Lagan.
Reply
9- Ra Moon - Feb 23, 2026, 8:57 AM
I see. Then, the borders shown in Google Maps are not accurate.
10- Anonymous - Feb 23, 2026, 10:59 PM
Hi, you forgot to add the best place - Murlough Bay.
Reply
11- Ra Moon - Feb 24, 2026, 11:20 AM
Thank you, updated!
12- Anonymous - Mar 4, 2026, 12:23 AM
The location in episode 8 where she is picked up in a blue truck, is that location Ravensdale County, Louth?
13- Anonymous - Mar 7, 2026, 12:31 AM
Pretty sure the scene in the queue outside the 'RTE Studio' was in fact outside the Bord Gais theatre, with the Marker Hotel behind it. I work in the area so it seems very likely. Love the write up anyway - it's a cracking show!
14- Anonymous - Mar 7, 2026, 11:30 AM
Thank you, this is a lovely show. The confusion about locations where the show was taking place is difficult for those of us in the US. I recognize Belfast and Donegal names from life. You did such a thorough job with all the information and photos, it helps to enjoy the show.
15- Anonymous - Mar 22, 2026, 1:40 PM
The crematorium is in Newtownabbey, near Mossley.
16- Anonymous - Mar 24, 2026, 8:25 AM
Galboly is not managed by the National Trust - it has a private landowner.
Reply
17- Ra Moon - Mar 24, 2026, 1:02 PM
Thank you all, updated!
18- Anonymous - Mar 26, 2026, 6:44 AM
The motel they visit in Episode 7 (the one owned by Norman) is located in Omeath, County Louth.
Reply
19- Ra Moon - Mar 26, 2026, 1:45 PM
Where exactly in Omeath?
Ra Moon
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