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Northern Ireland featured in 2 episodes of DT during its first season in 1997. It has the distinction of opening the debut episode's post title-sequence scene where Conor McCarthy is about to leave his family home in Newry, County Down to fly to England and join Harchester United's youth team. Conor's father Brian sees him off at what is presumably Belfast City Airport. After struggling to adapt to his new surroundings, a tougher-than-expected training regime under manager Frank Patcham, and made to feel unwelcome in the team by Sean and at his digs by Zoe, a homesick Conor heads home without telling anyone.
When Michael Jacobs reveals to Frank he bunged Mr McCarthy £100 grand as clubs across England and Scotland wanted Conor, and would have got £6M when they sold him in four years, he tells Frank he is off to Belfast and doesn't want him coming back without Conor. Frank goes to Conor's home but is seemingly unsuccessful in persuading him to come back. Conor does return with a new determination in time for Christmas, and returns to Newry at the end of the season when he fails to get a pro contract.
Another Northern Ireland connection in Harchester comes in the 2000-01 season with Siobhan McGovern, who has an arranged marriage with Nigerian striker Monday Bandele in order for he to obtain an EU work permit.
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