History Series / Ballykissangel

* DownerEnding: [[spoiler: Father Clifford decides to renounce his faith to marry Assumpta. Assumpta randomly gets electrocuted while mending a fuse box. Father Clifford's remaining faith is shattered, and he leaves forever, brokenhearted.]]

''Ballykissangel'' is a Creator/{{BBC}} show which aired from 1996 to 2001. Peter Clifford, an English Catholic priest, is sent from England to work in [[QuirkyTown a small Irish village]] named [[CutesyNameTown Ballykissangel]]. For three years, he tries to overcome the disadvantages of his nationality through community outreach, [[WorldOfSnark assimilation]], and drinking a great deal of lager.

* AlmostKiss: Twice in a row in "Ryan's Mother."
* BathtubScene: Ambrose gets one.
* BetaCouple: In the first three seasons, Niamh and Ambrose.

* CannotTellAJoke: Padraig, after [[spoiler: Peter's mum dies]].

* ChristianityIsCatholic: Possibly the most justified case in 90s television.
* ChristmasEpisode: "Happy as a Turkey on Boxing Day"

* CoolCar: Peter's [[spoiler: ill-fated]] Javelin.
* CoolTeacher: Brendan Kearney.

* HotForPreacher: Assumpta is, and she hates herself for it.

* ShowWithinAShow: "Ryan's Mother."
** Of the StylisticSuck variety.

* SurprisePregnancy: [[spoiler: Siobhan and Brendan]]

* ThoseTwoGuys: Quigley's employees Liam and Donal.

* WillTheyOrWontThey Between Peter and Assumpta. Other couples in later seasons.

* CharacterOutlivesActor: By the time BBC Ulster got around to reviving the show for its final series, actor Tony Doyle had died. Rather than kill off a main character offscreen (because theirs was a milieu where Death Is Always Big Onscreen Drama) they concocted a bizarre storyline in which his character, Brian Quigley, had become a fugitive from a federal tax evasion charge and had fled to Brazil. If he ever returned to Ireland, he'd spend his retirement in the pokey. When the plug was finally pulled on the programme, Brian was (apparently) still alive and living in Rio, but Tony was still beyond waiting for his cue.

* HeterosexualLifePartners: Liam and Donal are more or less inseparable, and can even be seen dancing together during a party on a dancefloor dominated mostly by couples.

* Main/NeverBareheaded: Liam's battered black and yellow baseball cap only leaves his head if he's at a wedding or asleep.

[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/ballykissangel.jpg]]
'''Ballykissangel''' is a Creator/{{BBC}} show which aired from 1996 to 2001. Peter Clifford, an English Catholic priest, is sent from England to work in [[QuirkyTown a small Irish village]] named [[CutesyNameTown Ballykissangel]]. For three years, he tries to overcome the disadvantages of his nationality through community outreach, [[WorldOfSnark assimilation]], and drinking a great deal of lager.

* ThoseTwoGuys: Quigley's employees Liam and Donnell.

* VowOfCelibacy: Naturally Father Clifford's vow is the main stumbling block in his relationship with Assumpta. He's ''trying'' to be a good priest and keep their relationship purely platonic, but by season 4 it becomes increasingly clear it isn't working. [[spoiler:He eventually renounces the priesthood, only for Assumpta to have a [[DroppedABridgeOnHim Bridge Dropped on Her]].]]

* HerosClassicCar: An elderly parishioner bequeaths Father Clifford a Jowett Javelin, a luxury car only produced from 1947 to 1953. It's unfortunately destroyed in series three when it rolls off a cliff after another parishioner borrows it and forgets to set the parking brake.

** There is also a homage at the start of an episode of ''FatherTed'', where as Assumpta falls for the newcomer Father Ted Crilly, Father Clifford is seen in the background, bags packed, trying to attract their attention to the fact he is leaving. All he gets is a cursory "bye" from Assumpta as she falls for Ted... (And then he wakes up in bed in the priests' house on Craggy island).

* WhyDoYouKeepChangingJobs: Brian Quigley has a new moneymaking venture every week, it seems.

* FullHouseMusic: In particular, precious woodwind underscores seem to follow Father Clifford around.