I was browsing through Netflix last week, looking for something to watch
on Instant Viewing, since I was between DVDs at the time. I was hoping
for something Irish in honor of St. Patrick's Day but wasn't really
expecting to find much, so I was delighted to strike gold when I
stumbled upon the series Ballykissangel. This BBC Northern
Ireland series created by Kieran Prendiville is set in the sleepy Irish
town of the title. Like Mitford, Mayberry or James Herriot's Darrowby,
Ballykissangel is an idyllic village where everyone knows each other and
both laughter and troubles are always in large supply.
The
first season, or "series" as the BBC calls it, consists of six
50-minute-long episodes and begins with the arrival of Father Peter
Clifford (Stephen Thompkinson), a progressive young priest from
Manchester. The first person he meets is Assumpta Fitzgerald (Dervla
Kirwan), a tart-tongued pub owner determined not to live up to her
oh-so-Catholic name. She takes every opportunity to demonstrate her
disdain for the Church, but she can't help liking Father Clifford, who
is everything Ballykissangel's stodgy elder priest, Father MacAnally
(Niall Toibin), isn't: self-effacing, liberal, forgiving... not to
mention handsome, in an endearing boy-next-door sort of way. He enjoys
sparring with her, and the romantic tension that blooms mere minutes
into the pilot escalates throughout the season, though Father Clifford
is the very picture of propriety.
Gangly police officer
Ambrose Egan (Peter Hanly) is not so over-the-top as Don Knotts' Barney
Fief, but in a town where very little crime occurs, he's always on the
lookout for improper behavior. In uniform, he's overzealous in his
duties, but without that authority, he's rather gutless and rarely
stands up to his girlfriend Niamh (Tina Kellegher), the fiery daughter
of Brian Quigley (Tony Doyle), a businessman who would like to think he
owns the town. While Brian, with some help from bumbling lackeys Liam
(Joe Sovino) and Donal (Frankie McCafferty), cooks up self-aggrandizing
schemes like installing an electronic confessional in the church and
advertising on a covert radio station, Ambrose and Niamh try to
negotiate their way toward marriage. This is complicated by Niamh's
desire to co-habitate first and a brush with death that leaves Ambrose
considering the priesthood.
Local folks filter in and out of
the episodes and generally come to rest at Assumpta's pub at some point.
One of her most frequent guests is eccentric veterinarian Siobhan
(Deirdre Donnelly), who doles out tips on horse races and protests the
use of a goat in a peculiar ritual at a local festival. Other regulars
are teacher Brendan (Gary Whelan) and doctor Michael (Bosco Hogan).
Aside from butting heads with stern Father Mac and scheming Brian,
Father Clifford is well-liked by the townsfolk, and while people are
always coming to him for advice, in many ways he's just one of the gang.
An extremely moral man, he carefully considers every decision he makes.
His struggles throughout the season include finding a suitable form of
transportation; participating in a soccer match in which throwing the
game would benefit a family in need; reacting to a startling admission
by a new friend on his deathbed; and, of course, maintaining his
friendship with Assumpta without letting it turn into anything
inappropriate.
The show's scenery is beautiful, with every
episode offering glimpses of rolling, sheep-covered hills, quiet forests
and babbling brooks. The town itself is charming, and the church is
impressive, with ornate statues and elegant stained-glass windows. The
instrumental theme song is sprightly, and traditional Irish sounds fill
the score, though contemporary music creeps into the show as well,
particularly in the episode in which the townspeople are divided between
enchantment and outrage over a new radio station broadcast from a
secret location.
A glance at Ballykissangel's IMDb
listing tells me that although the series lasted for six seasons, most
of the characters didn't, so it will be interesting to see how the cast
evolves. For now, I'm right in the middle of the second season and
sympathizing with Assumpta, because Father Clifford is a very easy guy
to fall in love with.
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