People genuinely wanted him to win Donegal Person of the Year. We’d love this.
When it comes to the beloved Orla McCool from Derry Girls, you better wise up and know better than to believe everything she says because she’s not the most reliable person.
Granted, we fully believe that she actually saw a cheetah on the beach and that lies cause Mother Mary to lie and she then cries her tears which fall as rain, but Orla is totally and definitely away with the birds.
Long may that continue.
A key reason why Lisa McGee’s show has registered with so many fans is that there isn’t a character in Derry Girls that you can call the ‘main’ one. Ok, Erin is the central character, but Clare, James, Michelle, and Orla also have their time to shine.
You could make a strong case that Orla – expertly played by Louisa Harland – gets the best lines because she just sees the world in her own weird and kooky way.
For example, she wanted to join the Orange Order because in her view, their music is cracker. To hell with being a Catholic!
In terms of memorable introductions, one of Orla’s finest moments arrived when the gang visited Dennis’ sweet shop in the very first episode. Cast your mind back to Clare’s fast to help Kamal – her 10-year-old Ethiopian friend who is absolutely “knackered” after having to walk 25 miles to the nearest well.
After Orla genuinely thought that he lived in Ballybofey, an online campaign was started to crown Kamal as the Donegal Person of the Year for 2018.
TV | Kamal, the wee Ethiopian fella from Ballybofey 'nominated' for Donegal Person of the Year. #DerryGirls @LisaMMcGee @JamesMcC_14 @NadineCoyleNow @JamieLeeOD @SaoirseJackson @nicolacoughlan Read more at: https://t.co/UnU0KJwjbF pic.twitter.com/noh2oa0dR2
— Derry Journal (@derryjournal) January 15, 2018
When JOE caught up with the uber-cool Louisa Harland recently, we had to ask her about the cult of Kamal and the chances of everyone’s favourite wee Ethiopian fella making an appearance.
“The wee Ethiopian fella from Ballybofey. Yes! Ha, that’s all because of Lisa’s writing and I wish that we could’ve brought Kamal back this time but unfortunately, he didn’t make an appearance,” she said.
If Season 3 of Derry Girls does happen – more about that here – then an appearance from Kamal is what the public wants to see.
When my son doesn’t finish a meal I’ve taken to telling him the story of wee Kamal from Ballybofey. @nicolacoughlan #derrygirls
— D (@twodadstwolads) February 9, 2019
Class! What about a mural in Donegal for Kamal the wee Ethiopian from Ballybofey? 🙂#DerryGirls #Donegal #Ballybofey https://t.co/kYhbDMorBq
— Don't Fear The Natives (@DFTNatives) January 26, 2019
I hear Kamal the wee Ethiopian fella from Ballybofey won Donegal Person of the Year 2018.
— Ciarán 🇵🇸 (@Call_Me_Ciaran) January 4, 2019
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