Does Connell and Marianne End up Together?

At the end of the series, we see the pair at a crossroads in their relationship. After a tumultuous few years for the two of them, the last episode sees Connell and Marianne living happily together at Trinity College, Dublin.

Why can't Connell and Marianne be together?

Marianne and Connell don't separate because they simply don't get along, but rather because they both recognize that there are some major personal issues to overcome. Connell worries about the opinions of others, while Marianne struggles to find a strong and supportive male figure in her life.

Does normal people have a happy ending?

The ending, especially, does not offer a neat, happy conclusion - but nor should it. Rather than offering up cliches, both the show and the book finish on a far more realistic bittersweet note. But there are subtle differences between how the series and the novel end.