Father Ted Craggy Island

When Father Ted arrived on British Television screens in 1995 it got a mixed response.

Consider my small household.

I absolutely loved and still love the Father Ted comedy series whereas my Hubby is not a fan.

Humor is very personal but plenty of people seemed to agree with me and Father Ted became a hugely popular, though rather unusual, situation comedy.

If you say “Feck“ or “Cup Of Tea Father” to a Father Ted fan expect a reaction. At the very least expect a smile or a counter catchphrase such as “Go on.”

When initially aired Father Ted was usually shown on Channel 4 where I live in the U.K. around 10pm.

It features a large house and its residents. It is situated on the fictional Craggy Island, off the coast of Ireland.

The house is supposed to be a parochial house but is located miles from any parishioners. It is home to three Roman Catholic priests and their housekeeper Mrs Doyle.

But what a peculiar bunch of people they are.

Father Ted appears the most sane and normal of these four though he has his odd moments of eccentricity.

Young Father Dougal seems a little dim, to say the least. His stupid ways almost pass for boyish innocence.

Father Jack is a filthy priest in every sense of the word. He is foul-mouthed, a drunkard and filthy in his dress and appearance.

The batty housekeeper Mrs Doyle fusses and frets over the three Fathers and any other guests visiting this house.

This eccentric lady is a very plain Jane who usually dresses like a homemaker of the 1940s or 1950s. Mrs Doyle believes a cup of tea will cure anything and consequentially she is constantly brewing up. and asking “cup of tea Father?”

The first series which aired in 1995 quickly gathered a large fan base after a rocky start

Of course Father Ted will not be every viewer’s idea of funny entertainment.

There was criticism that the humor was too irreverent.

However life is funny in so many ways and perhaps we should be able to laugh at all aspects of it occasionally.

Ten more episodes followed the pilot plus a Christmas special and the viewing audience continued to increase.

Another eight episodes followed even though rumours claimed the show was only ever intended to have three series.

Would there be more episodes?

Sadly however the matter was settled with the untimely death of the show's star, Dermot John Morgan who played Father Ted.

Morgan died February 28,1998, aged just 45.

Having filmed the last episode of the series Morgan was hosting a dinner party at home the next day when he was taken ill. He was rushed to hospital but died within hours having suffered a massive heart attack.

Father Ted Legacy

By the time of Morgan’s death the Father Ted series had reached dizzy heights of popularity and its popularity continues.

Father Ted has been re-run many times over the years and consequently it now has an almost cult following.

Since 2007 there has been a Ted Fest, which is a Father Ted convention, held annually and remains very popular.

Although the indoor scenes of Father Ted were filmed in a studio all of the outside filming took place in various parts of Ireland.

Eighteen years to the day after Morgan died his co-star Francis O'Kelly, popularly known as Frank Kelly, the man who played Father Jack, also died. He was aged 75.