The popular TV show Father Ted follows the misadventures of three Catholic priests who live on an island off the west coast of Ireland. Viewers learn that the priests were banished to Craggy Island because of their previous indiscretions. Father Dougal McGuire, for example, was exiled following an incident in Blackrock that left several lives “irreparably damaged”, though Dougal insists those affected “were only nuns”.
“That money was just resting in my account!”
The main character, Father Ted Crilly, was exiled because of “that Lourdes thing”, in which he allegedly stole charity money meant to fund a poor child’s pilgrimage. According to Bishop Len Brennan, Ted took the money and immediately flew to Las Vegas. Whenever the incident is raised, Ted claims the money was just “resting” in his bank account.
Wexford
Although the show never explicitly details Ted’s pre-exile posting, viewers receive a clear answer in Series 1, Episode 3, “The Passion of Saint Tibulus”, first aired on 5 May 1995. During a conversation with Father Jose Fernandez, played by Derrick Branche, Ted mentions that he sometimes misses the “buzz of working in the big city.” Fernandez, visibly amused, replies: “You were in Wexford, weren’t you?” Ted confirms without hesitation: “I was, yes.”
The humour of the exchange lies in the irony of a modest town like Wexford being described as a big city.