written- july 29th 1997

by JoAnn Phillips

Nestled in the lush green mountains of County Wicklow, Ireland is the small town of Ballykissangel. There is a good mixture of "the old" and "the new" here: a town not too far from the modern world of Dublin, but one which still clings to its staunch rural independence. The green pastoral setting is peopled with lively contemporary characters.

The story centers around young Father Peter Clifford, a stranger in a strange land. He is British and has been sent to BallyKissangel to be the towns new priest. Assumpta Fitzgerald is the attractive headstrong owner of the town's pub, and she is not too keen on the Catholic Church's stronghold over Ireland. Naturally, she and Father Clifford clash like water and oil, and yet the two develop a tangible chemistry between each other that both must suppress. Father Clifford eventually wins over the Irish Townspeople, and his journey of the heart and mind is the stuff of much unique Irish comedy, adventure, and pathos. We learn about all the folk of Ballykissangel: their dreams, their wacky schemes, and culture clashes between ideas old and new. You will find yourself very quickly becoming a member of BallyKay (as the locals call it) and you will feel as at home here as the customers of Assumpta's pub.