Spoiler Guide by Rebecca Stunell, Synopsis by BBC Drama Publicity

Written by Kieran Prendiville
Directed by Paul Harrison
Produced by David Shanks
First UK Broadcast: 15th April, 2001, BBC1
Viewing Figure:

Father Mac confronts Vincent when he finds out that Lyn and Barry are married. Vincent doesn't handle it very well.

Louis' dog becomes ill and he calls Siobhan. After examining the dog she finds some strange plants growing near Louis' house on the mountain. She takes a sample and sends it to a lab to be tested. She discovers that the plants are cannabis. Frankie finds out about the plants and starts to investigate.

Father Mac is called to see the Bishop. The Bishop isn't happy that Mac assumed the church would buy back the priest's house from the bank. Vincent also goes to see the Bishop and gets a dressing down for marrying Barry and Lyn. To make matters worse Lucius Cattermole, the bank manager, wants to sell the priest's house quickly which would make Vincent homeless. When Vincent hears the news he asks the Dooleys if he can stay at the pub but there's no room. Father Mac arranges for him to stay with Kathleen. One evening Mac receives an unexpected visit from the bishop who insinuates that Mac is too old to be a parish priest and that he should contemplate his future. Vincent can't take any more of Kathleen so he moves in with Brendan.

Paul is delighted to hear that the council want to build on the land he has leased. He meets with two officials and is surprised when they reveal that they want to build a rubbish dump for the Cilldargan area. Oonagh is sceptical when Paul tells her about the plans for the dump. Eventually Paul decides not to develop the land if it's going to be a rubbish dump.

One night Avril goes over to Siobhan's house but finds Vincent babysitting while Siobhan has a night out with Brendan. She ends up staying for a coffee and a chat. Later that night Siobhan and Brendan find them asleep on the sofa together and both Avril and Vincent are embarrassed when they wake up.

The next day Vincent arranges to stay with Frankie. That night Frankie goes to stake out the cannabis plants. She sees someone taking a cutting from the plants and is shocked when it turns out to be Doc Ryan. She takes him back to the station and Vincent is forced to move again. Doc Ryan explains that he was prescribing the cannabis as pain relief for a patient.

The next morning Vincent wakes up to see a horse flying over his head and realises he has bedded down on a horse track. Avril sees him and offers the spare room at her place. When Vincent hears about the bishop's conversation with Mac he confronts the bishop and says that if Mac goes, he goes.

Frankie goes to visit her aunt who has multiple sclerosis and is surprised to find she is smoking a joint. Frankie realise that Doc Ryan was prescribing the cannabis to her own aunt. The aunt is adamant that she asked Doc Ryan to get it for her and that he should not be punished. Frankie decides not to take the matter any further when Doc Ryan agrees to stop.

Vincent is asked to take confession for a sick priest in a nearby church. Father Mac is a friend of the sick priest but doesn't know he is ill and arrives to give his confession. Mac and Vincent are both embarrassed when they realise they are talking to each other but it gives them the opportunity to begin to resolve their differences.

Critical Review
The last ever Ballykissangel - on March 13th, the BBC announced that the series had been cancelled to make way for new drama. Unfortunately this meant that no loose ends had a chance to be tied up and it shows.