Father Peter Clifford's journey from England ends in his new parish, the small Irish town of Ballykissangel. It's a change from his previous job in the centre of Manchester, but this rural Irish community is hardly the sleepy village he expected. The local bar owner, Assumpta Fitzgerald, seems to have a serious attitude towards the clergy, and is very surprised to discover that the man she offers a lift to is the new parish curate. Niamh wants to know what her boyfriend, the local Garda, will be like to live with when they get married. She is determined to have the two of them live together beforehand, but he does not want to commit a ""mortal sin"". Both seek advice from the new priest. As Father Clifford arrives, a new modern confessional is being delivered. Niamh's father, Brian Quigley, who seems to think that a fax-equipped confessional will be a great addition to the church, has donated it.

As Peter Clifford settles into his new parish, Brian Quigley's holiday home development seems stalled by a young couple living in a caravan near to the site. Peter gets involved when he hears that Brian is responsible for their baby's illness. He appears to have ordered ""organic fertiliser"" to be dumped beside their caravan. But Peter has his own problems. His past catches up with him in the shape of Jennie, a former parishioner who thinks he once had feelings for her. She follows him from Manchester and arrives in BallyK as he is trying to establish himself in the parish. The young couple in the caravan need to move, and in an effort to get some money together for them, the BallyK vet, Siobhan, suggests that they bet against their own side in the next Gaelic football match . . . a match in which Peter is the reserve goalkeeper.

Niamh's wedding plans are disrupted when a stone statue falls off the church and through her fiancee's car. As he had only just got out of the car he takes it as a sign that he should become a priest. Peter tries to talk him out of it, but Ambrose calls off the engagement. Niamh has other problems to deal with, as she becomes disgusted at the idea of her father meeting up with an ex-girlfriend. Local Hill farmer, Eamonn, attempts to provide evidence of his elusive sheep to the European Union, in order to get his subsidy, by constructing wooden sheep. Niamh decides she wants her wedding reception to go ahead, even if she's not having the wedding. 'Hardly a Wedding reception' results in large sales of stout which Assumpta was given without charge, and after a little intervention by Peter, Ambrose gatecrashes the party and Proposes to Niamh.

Angel FM, a pirate radio station in the village, keeps Ambrose busy, while Father Peter is told he must get his own transport or lose his job. Assumpta gives him driving lessons which prove to be a little more dangerous than she anticipated. Whilst on a hospital visit, Peter meets a former judge, Michael Bradley, who has a low opinion of the church. Peter befriends him but is shocked when Mr Bradley tells him that he helped his wife to die. The young priest turns to Father Mac for advice, but during the conversation it emerges that the driving test that he is about to take will be fixed. Peter takes the test as Mr Clifford, rather than Father Peter, and passes. He triumphantly returns to the town only to be told that Michael Bradley has died. When he returns to the hospital, he is given a set of keys to a sleek vintage car that Bradley has left to him.

Brian Quigley is persuaded to stand for election against Sean Dooley, after the death of the local representative to the Irish Parliament - The Dail. Brian pays for a replacement church bell, something that Peter is right to be suspicious of. Niamh is also unimpressed by her father's reluctance to pay for her wedding reception. A television crew arrives to cover the election, and the reporter turns out to be Assumpta's ex-boyfriend, Leo McGarvey, who is still in love with her. Liam and Donal, Brian's workmen, find on Brian's building site - a skeleton. While Ambrose is tempted to press charges against Brian, Peter suggests that they shouldn't postpone the wedding any longer, and if Brian is willing to pay for it, Ambrose could drop the charges. Dooley wins the election, but Father Mac and Brian are not disappointed - this means that Dooley will be off to Dublin, and out of their way. Leo gives up chasing Assumpta, but suggests that she has feelings for Peter.

Father Peter is told that he must return to England, but the BallyK community is determined to put a stop to that idea In the meantime, Brian is working overtime on a range of gimmicks designed to attract visitors to BallyK. The plan, which is causing most concern to Siobhan, is the idea of putting a live sheep at the top of some scaffolding - which Brian plans to crown in a ceremony. Siobhan makes a rescue attempt, which Peter and Assumpta inevitably get involved in. Plans for Niamh's and Ambrose's wedding are overshadowed by Brian's other venture - a three-day licence for a makeshift pub which is taking most of Assumpta's business.