‘Father Ted’ can be considered one of the most significant and popular series of Irish television history. The Irish / British sitcom was created and written by Irish writers Graham Linehan and Arthur Mathews, who ran over three seasons critically acclaimed from April 1995 to May 1998, with twenty-five-episodes. The sitcom resolves the misadventures of three Irish Roman Catholic priests, who have been exiled in a parish on the fictional Craggy Island, located off the west coast of Ireland.
Father Ted Crilly (Dermot Morgan), Father Dougal McGuire (Ardal O’Hanlon) and Father Jack Hackett (Frank Kelly) live together in a parochial house, along with their housekeeper Mrs Doyle (Pauline McLynn), who always wants to serve them tea. The priests deal with their Bishop Len Brennan, who has banished them to Craggy Island as punishment for different mistakes. Ted for alleged financial impropriety; Dougal for something only referred to as the ‘Blackrock Incident’ (resulting in many nuns’ lives damaged); and Jack for his alcoholism and womanising behaviour.
The 3 series follow Father Ted’s schemes to resolve a situation with the parish and Craggy Island residents or to win games against his enemy, Father Dick Byrne, from the nearby Rugged Island parish.
Curiosity
- This year marked 25 years since Father Ted and his bunch of lads were aired for the first time;
- The series has loads of fans around the world such as Australia and New Zealand;
- The sitcom was produced by Hat Trick Productions to the British Channel 4;
- Dermot Morgan, who passed away suddenly on 28 February 1998 at his home in London, aged forty-five, on the day after the final shooting of Father Ted’s third series;
- In 2019, The Radio Times conducted the survey, and ranks were listed by a panel of 42 top comedy experts. The list included 20 British comedies with Father Ted as the second-best sitcom of all time;
- Apparently, the character of Mrs Doyle was based on Graham Linehan’s mother! Even though Mrs Doyle’s first name is never revealed in the series;
- In 2020, a limited edition of post stamps was created by Ireland’s Postal Service An Post to celebrate 25 years of Father Ted.
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