Dermot Morgan Movies

The brainchild of writers Graham Linehan and Arthur Matthews, the Irish/English sitcom Father Ted presents the hilariously twisted adventures and dilemmas of Father Ted Crilly (Dermot Morgan). Shipped to the far-off oblivion that is Craggy Island by Bishop Len Brennan (Jim Norton) after shady business dealings, Ted must cope with the fact that his glamorous dreams are being hindered by a banal reality. Ted's manic existence at the parochial house is complicated by his housemates: dim-witted but sweet Father Dougal McGuire (Ardal O'Hanlon), who doesn't understand the whole "God thing"; mad drunkard Father Jack Hackett (Frank Kelly), who has a vocabulary that's nearly limited to "drink, feck, and arse"; and housekeeper Mrs. Doyle (Pauline McLynn), who loves nothing more than making mountains of sandwiches and forcing the Fathers to "have some tea." When Ted and Dougal aren't raising money at shady raffles or performing abbreviated masses, they're usually trying to right the never-ending wrongs of Craggy Island. Ted's arch nemesis, Father Dick Byrne (Maurice O'Donoghue), is always just a phone call away, and he and Ted are always up for some sort of competition or bet, be it an elderly priests' soccer match, the Song for Europe competition, or seeing who can give up more vices for Lent. Father Ted ran three seasons from 1995 to 1998, encompassing only 25 episodes, but it was enormously popular with its British audience and has achieved a small but rabid cult following in the U.S. Tragically, Dermot Morgan died the day after the final episode was shot after suffering a heart attack at his home. ~ Tim DiGravina, All Movie Guide

Try as he might, Ted (Dermot Morgan) simply can't shake off the advances of romance novelist Polly Clarke (Gemma Craven), who's visiting Craggy Island on a book tour. Finding it impossible to resist temptations that clearly go against his most basic priestly vows, Ted makes a charming fool of himself and impresses Clarke in the process. In the meantime, a virtual fan club of nuns praises Ted's sermons, forcing him to juggle their enthusiasm with an invitation for drinks with Clarke. Rushing hastily through a sermon, Ted agitates the nuns, and makes his way somewhat pathetically to Clarke's housewarming party, only to find that he's not the sole person to have been invited. Ted is further frustrated when Clarke tells him of her plans to become a nun. ~ Tim DiGravina, All Movie Guide

The King of the Sheep '98 competition is about to kick into high gear, and Ted (Dermot Morgan) has placed a large bet on past champ Chris. If Chris doesn't win, the heating allowance is gone. But Chris is soon in a disturbed state, because a snarling moaning beast that's as "big as four cats" and has magnets on its tail is terrorizing Craggy Island. With the beast drawing near to the parochial house, Ted and Dougal (Ardal O'Hanlon) put Chris through a rigorous relaxation scheme. At the competition, Ted puts two and two together, does a bit of Agatha Christie-style sleuthing, and details a huge plot that threatened the competition's integrity. With the beast revealed as a hoax and Chris disqualified, much to Ted's chagrin, the Fathers are in for a long, cold winter. ~ Tim DiGravina, All Movie Guide

It's time again for the "All Priests Look-a-like Competition," but Ted (Dermot Morgan) is forced to scrap his plans to go as Elvis, after he learns that Dougal (Ardal O'Hanlon) and Jack (Frank Kelly) have similar plans. Thinking that he's going to have to resort to his usual Mother Theresa get-up, he still makes a small bet with Father Dick Byrne (Maurice O'Donoghue). Competition host and BBC reject Henry Sellers (Niall Buggy) pays a visit to the Craggy Island parish, and he lays waste to the Fathers' home and goes off into the wild after a miniscule sip of sherry. In the meantime, Jack is in a truly poor state after ingesting a bottle of Toilet Duck. With Sellers back to his usual self, Ted finds inspiration in Jack's wretched condition. Dougal, Ted, and Jack stage the "three phases of Elvis," and Dick Byrne's "supreme" hopes of victory are vanquished. ~ Tim DiGravina, All Movie Guide

The annual "All Priests Over 75 Indoor Five-a-Side Football" match is right around the corner, and Ted (Dermot Morgan) will once again coach against his archrival, Father Dick Byrne (Maurice O'Donoghue). Whoever loses must perform a forfeit of the other's choosing. Problems arise immediately, chief among them that Ted's best strikers have had some setbacks: Father Jack (Frank Kelly) is in a coma after overdosing on a sleeping aid, and Father Nick isn't "at the very peak of his powers" because he's just died. To top things off, Dick Byrne has an ace up his sleeve, a "flip-hot" elderly Italian. After Ted's team wins, the referee discovers that he'd manipulated the comatose Jack on the pitch via remote-controlled wheelchair. Byrne tells Ted his forfeit; Ted must kick Bishop Brennan "up the arse." (The story arc continues in "Kicking Bishop Brennan Up the Arse.") ~ Tim DiGravina, All Movie Guide

At the "It's Great Being a Priest Convention '98," Ted (Dermot Morgan) saves a suicidal young priest from jumping off the ledge of a building, impressing Father Buzz Cagney (Jeff Harding) in the process. Cagney invites Ted to work in America, and Ted accepts the offer, thinking that glitz, glamour, and riches will soon be at hand. Ted, Dougal (Ardal O'Hanlon), Jack (Frank Kelly), and Mrs. Doyle (Pauline McLynn) pack their belongings and head to the airport, even though Ted hasn't told his friends that they won't be joining him in America. When Ted learns that he will be dealing with gang members, he decides to stay in Craggy Island rather than become an "umpire to drive-by-shooting tournaments." His friends are happy to stay put "forever, and ever, and ever." (Sadly, Dermot Morgan suffered a fatal heart attack the day after this final episode wrapped shooting. The original broadcast included a highlights montage and a closing where Ted and Dougal say "goodnight" to each other one final time.) ~ Tim DiGravina, All Movie Guide

A visiting nun points out to the Fathers that the "very drunk" Jack (Frank Kelly) is actually quite dead. Jack's old friends reminisce about his life and times, with one elderly priest violently lamenting about how Jack should have been anointed Pope. When Jack's will is read, Ted (Dermot Morgan) and Dougal (Ardal O'Hanlon) learn that they will inherit a huge sum of money, with the sole requirement that they spend the night before Jack's burial with his body, because Jack always feared that he'd be buried alive. Dreaming of their new riches, attempting a game of charades, and reflecting on the afterlife, the Fathers settle in for their night watching over Jack's body. But there's one problem, because Jack pulls a Lazarus out of his hat. ~ Tim DiGravina, All Movie Guide

Ted (Dermot Morgan) is terrified, as he has to kick Bishop Brennan (Jim Norton) "up the arse," to appease Father Dick Byrne's (Maurice O'Donoghue) forfeit desires (see the "Escape From Victory" episode). Byrne demands photographic evidence, so Dougal (Ardal O'Hanlon) must memorialize the kick. Brennan soon visits, because Byrne has told him that his holy image is appearing in a skirting board at the Craggy Island parish. With Ted in a frenzy, Dougal suggests that Ted won't get into trouble because Brennan will never expect it or believe that it happened. The kick is planted, the photo evidence is a success, and Brennan is stunned speechless. During drunken boasting, Ted tells Dougal that he wants a huge 10'x10' copy of the photo. When Brennan returns, now sure that he's been kicked, Ted convinces him that he's wrong. But Dougal appears with the enlarged copy, and Brennan takes his arse-for-an-arse revenge. ~ Tim DiGravina, All Movie Guide

TV-star/singer Eoin McLove (Patrick McDonnell), hero to many an elderly woman, injured puppies, and Mrs. Doyle (Pauline McLynn), is paying a visit to Craggy Island, because Mrs. Doyle has won his fabulous poetry competition. Mrs. Doyle is so excited that she lets his arrival date slip out at a grocery store, leading to the invasion of the parish by an army of zombie-like McLove fans. The Fathers must hold down the fort and deal with McLove's imbecilic ways. After the women are sent on their way, McLove cleans the parish of its goodies and is ready to leave in his "cake jumper." Ted (Dermot Morgan) accepts an invitation from McLove's assistant to be a contestant during a trivia portion of McLove's show. Ted aces the questions about his favorite subject, William Shatner's Tekwar, but stumbles with a question about the Pope. ~ Tim DiGravina, All Movie Guide

Ted (Dermot Morgan) dismisses Dougal's (Ardal O'Hanlon) Euro Song fever, but changes his tune upon learning that Father Dick Byrne (Maurice O'Donoghue) is entering the competition. Ted and Dougal pen lyrics for a song called "My Lovely Horse," but they underhandedly use an obscure Norwegian song as their backing track after their own musical abilities prove fruitless. The Fathers share a music-video dream of their song (with a full-blown performance by the Divine Comedy). With their confidence sky-high, things get iffy at the Song for Ireland stage, where Dick Byrne pulls out all the stops à la Scott Walker and receives a standing ovation. Things get more sour when Ted hears the Norwegian song piped over the intercom. Forced to revert to their own musical backing, they perform to a dead-silent audience. Thanks to shady promoters seeking a sure loser, Ted and Dougal win the Ireland stage and advance to the Euro Song competition itself, where they receive universal scores of "zero." ~ Tim DiGravina, All Movie Guide

Three Bishops are visiting Craggy Island to upgrade a holy stone to a Class II relic. This means that Ted (Dermot Morgan) must train Father Jack (Frank Kelly) to act like a human being. Jack is taught to say "yes" and "that would be an ecumenical matter" whenever the Bishops address him, and he's told to avoid saying "drink," "feck," and "girls." Jack gives a great impression and he joins Fathers Ted and Dougal (Ardal O'Hanlon) and the Bishops for the relic ceremony. By the time the Bishops have left, Dougal has convinced one to give up a religion entirely, Jack has planted the holy stone in a most unholy place on another one of the Bishops, and Ted has killed the third Bishop with a poorly timed toilet flush. ~ Tim DiGravina, All Movie Guide

Dougal (Ardal O'Hanlon) befriends delinquent, young Father Damien Lennon (Joe Rooney). Ted (Dermot Morgan) and Jack (Frank Kelly) travel to a barren picnic area, where they encounter an angry, foul-mouthed couple and the whistle-happy park ranger Benson (Mal Whyte). As Benson sleeps, Damien steals his whistle. Ted travels to town, where he meets villagers who are terrified and enraged at the news of the whistle theft. Damien gives the whistle to Dougal for safe-keeping. When Ted finds it, he confronts Dougal, but Benson arrives with a police officer before Ted gets an explanation from Dougal. Attempting to save himself and/or Dougal, after Dougal tells everyone the whistle is in Ted's pocket, Ted runs out of the room and concocts a bizarre story about an orphan boy, a fallen tree, and horse-wrangling to explain why he has the whistle. Damien is outed as the whistle thief, but not before Ted tells his strange tale. Dougal learns that being cool isn't always the most desirable thing. ~ Tim DiGravina, All Movie Guide

Dougal (Ardal O'Hanlon) has a new pet bunny, who soon begets dozens more. The Fathers must hide the bunnies from Bishop Brennan (Jim Norton), who's visiting Craggy Island to make sure Ted (Dermot Morgan) is taking the necessary precautions to keep Father Jack (Frank Kelly) from sleepwalking "bullock-naked" all over town. Brennan hates rabbits, having had an encounter years earlier in an elevator where many bunnies "got into" his robes. The Fathers try a number of unsuccessful schemes to occupy the bunnies, including offering them to the dog track as racers and having Tom (Pat Short) "deal" with them, but they're ultimately stuck with them. As Ted shows Brennan Jack's new bed restraints, Dougal hide the rabbits in Brennan's room. The Fathers give strange explanations for the rabbit cage and droppings Brennan finds. A naked Jack wanders into Brennan's room and gets into bed with him, and the bunnies follow suit. ~ Tim DiGravina, All Movie Guide