Assumpta doesn't hold a very high opinion of the church. In the annual slave auction she is sold to Father Mac who does not hold a very high opinion of Assumpta. As a result, she has to provide accommodation for two visiting parish priests and a Bishop. Father Mac is less than impressed when he finds Father Peter pulling pints as Assumpta's slave. A musician, Enda O'Sullivan, moves into BallyK and is cast as Assumpta's love interest in the village play. Niamh is thrilled and thinks Assumpta should go out with him. Enda's ankle is injured during rehearsals and Peter is brought in to replace him, which leads to a compromising situation witnessed by Father Mac. Brian refuses to fund the play unless Enda plays the lead role. With a little help from Dr Ryan Enda is back on his feet in time for the opening night - much to Peter's disappointment.

Local school teacher, Brendan, faces losing his job because of falling numbers at the National School in BallyK But parents and fiends discover that Father Mac is responsible for the decision, and so they rally round to save their favourite teacher. Having seen Enda panning for gold in the River Angel, Liam and Donal decide that they can exploit the situation. They create a shrine on the riverbank and tourists pay to hear tales of the Angel's abundant gold. However, Peter is less than impressed with the tacky statue of the Blessed Virgin, with its glowing heart. Niamh's and Ambrose's attempts to conceive are exhausting Ambrose, but the regulars at Fitzgerald's are amused that he is constantly called on to do his duty. Enda sends his son to the BallyK National School, thus making up the number of pupils, and Brendan's job is safe. Niamh finally announces that she is pregnant.

Brian makes a video to attract American tourists to Ballykissangel, but the locals' acting skills are tested to the limit - and it's not a pretty sight. Niamh's food cravings are taking their toll on Ambrose, whilst her father is impressed when she dishes up tripe casserole for dinner. Assumpta finally gives in to Niamh's matchmaking attempts and goes on a date with Enda, only to discover that his baby-sitter's feelings for him are more than platonic. Meanwhile, Peter causes a stir with his plans for a folk Mass.

A baby that has been abandoned on Peter's doorstep cause him and Assumpta a sleepless night. As the hunt continues for the baby's mother, Peter organises a 'sex talk' for the local youths. Unsurprisingly, Father Mac does not approve. After only a few weeks pregnancy, Niamh miscarries. Husband Ambrose is on bed rest after slipping on a bar of soap in the bath, and his replacement, Garda McMullen, is demanding to say the least. Brian begins to bribe the new Garda in order to complete an illegal part of his latest business venture. Superintendent Foley is impressed with McMullen's performance, but is concerned about Ambrose's and Brian's relationship; so he plans to post Ambrose to an inner-city job. It's only when Brian discusses the bribes with McMullen in front of the Superintendent that the truth emerges and McMullen is moved on.

Every village has a busybody, and Kathleen is best places in BallyK. As the owner of the grocery shop she keeps track of everybody's business. Her cousin Nora Harrigan takes a job as Brian's housekeeper, which immediately upsets Niamh. Brian is well aware that Nora finds him attractive. Niamh is still getting over the loss of her baby, but everyone seems to forget that it was also Ambrose's child. Brendan's new pupils prove to be the perfect distraction for Niamh as she controls the disruptive crowd as only she can. Brian's life is now entirely organised by Nora and he's starting to feel hen-pecked. He discovers that Nora's previous two husbands died and is worried that she wants him to be number three. She mistakenly makes a move on Father Mac in the sauna and he tells Brian to get rid of her.

Brian is organising a beauty contest as part of the village festival, to find the new model for a bottled water company. Every entrant has to be local. Eamonn stuns the town by introducing his niece, Naomi. She's from Dublin and finds the rural life dull. After a bit of detective work by Siobhan it transpires that Naomi is the daughter of a shipping firm owner. Brian wanted the contract so in order to get her into the contract he brought her in as Eamonn's BallyK-born niece. Her father is not impressed when a local girl wins the contest. Ambrose unexpectedly befriends the school's worst troublemaker and persuades him to do an act at the festival. After an argument with Brian Siobhan is comforted by Brendan. When he wakes up in her bed the next morning he is worried what she will want out of the relationship.

Kathleen's house goes up in flames and as she has no insurance the villagers start a collection, although Peter is hard pressed to find any money, given Father Mac's constant demands on his income. When the collection falls a long way short Siobhan suggests betting on a dog race to boost the total. Brian is told about a scam at the race by an old acquaintance. The amount of money he stands to win is irresistible. Peter receives some information during confession, and the money is placed on the wrong dog. Brian has also been tricked. The villager's last resort is a poker tournament. It's a big gamble, but the only way to get the money back. Brian's adversary, Mossy Phelan, plays in the tournament and Siobhan represents the village and after a long night only Siobhan and Mossy are left and Brian saves the day by throwing in a cheque allowing Siobhan to win. Kathleen returns to her restored house, but despite the huge efforts by the village she remains convinced that Father Mac paid for i

Two mysterious strangers have the villagers intrigued. They come to the conclusion that they are revenue men, and everyone apparently has something to hide: Eamonn has been using farm diesel in his car; Father Mac has concerns about his finances; and Assumpta persuades Peter to hide her stash of duty free lager. Assumpta's problems have been mounting up and she tells Niamh that she might leave the village to run a wine bar in Dublin. Peter is upset that she didn't talk to him first. Everyone's minds are put at rest when the strangers are revealed to be fraud investigators who are arresting Sean Dooley for bribery and corruption. Niamh reveals that she is pregnant again, and the party that follows uses up Assumpta's tax-free lager.

With the birth of Niamh's baby approaching the last thing she needs is a stressful visit from Ambrose's mother, Imelda. Kathleen discovers a miracle at the church 0 a statue has started to sweat. Within hours the town is filled with people and Peter is suspicious that several residents stand to gain from the 'miracle': Assumpta's doing good business at the pub; Padraig's got his first scoop for the local paper; Liam's and Donal's fast-food van is doing a roaring trade; and father Mac is happy to see the donations increase. Padraig's journalistic talent is also put to good use trying to find out what Brian is up to. He's buying land from Eamonn, but he also wants two access roads and he's not saying why. The 'sweat' on the statue is finally identified as chip fat, and Peter gives Liam and Donal an angry lecture on the evils of exploiting the church for their own gain. Ambrose's mother is sent home on the advice of Dr Ryan, but Niamh gives birth in the car on the way back, with Ambrose d

Brian's latest business venture to attract Korean investors involves bulldozing a local beauty spot. It's not something the locals are going to allow without a fight and they stage a protest on the site. Peter initially refuses to take sides in the protest, but Assumpta accuses him of sitting on the fence. He eventually realises that she is right - not only about Brian's plans but also about hiding his feelings. Assumpta and Peter are left alone on the site one night, and it leads to Peter finally hinting at his feelings for her. But later, he tells her he's still a priest - he's going on retreat and Assumpta makes a major decision. Donal and his girlfriend, Sue Ellen, inspire a romantic streak in Eamonn, who sets his sights on Kathleen. She's not an easy target, but he's groomed and rehearsed by Sue Ellen before he goes to talk to her. Niamh persuades her father to leave the beauty spot alone.

With Assumpta on a break in London, Niamh is left to look after the pub, but the new baby is taking it's toll her and she agrees to let Ambrose's mother Imelda help her. Brian is still trying to bring Korean business to BallyK, but it involves the assistance of the whole community, which could be a problem. Brendan is concerned that the children will be exploited. The Koreans are impressed, but despite his best efforts Brian loses the deal. All his finances were tied up in the deal and he now faces bankruptcy. Despite the collapse of the deal, the 1950s party in Padraig's ballroom is a great success.

Brian is depressed but not defeated after the loss of a major investment. The bank has repossessed his house and car, and when he learns that Ambrose's mother has quite a bit of money tucked away his attitude towards her changes completely. While Niamh doubts his interest in her will come to anything, Ambrose is convinced that marriage could be on the horizon. Imelda refuses to let Brian have all her money, but does help him out with a smaller amount. Donal and Sue Ellen are also heading for marriage, but Brian's losses mean laying off Liam and Donal. The strength of their friendship is tested to the limit after Liam sees Sue Ellen two-timing Donal with a richer man. With father Peter on an enforced retreat, Father Mac decides to prove that accurate at Ballykissangel is unnecessary, but he is soon proved very wrong.

Peter returns to BallyK to discover a pair of scantily clad young women in his house. It transpires that Brian's bankruptcy has forced him to rent out the house. There is much worse to come when Assumpta gets back to the pub with her new husband, Leo McGarvey, in tow. It's a shock for Peter, but he takes particular offence that she didn't tell him about it. Peter distracts himself by organising a pub quiz against a rival team from Cildargan. All the relationships in the village seem to have broken down while he's been away, and it needs something to bring them together. Surprisingly, Donal saves the day with his newfound interest in philosophy. It helps to restore the community spirit, but doesn't solve Peter's problems. Ambrose's investigations into a string of burglaries ends when he makes an arrest during one of Kieran's sleepless nights.

Assumpta's marriage isn't going well. Leo is finding it difficult settling in and an article written he is writing confirms Assumpta's suspicions. Peter can see there are problems but manages to keep out of it, although Leo knows there is more to Assumpta's relationship with the priest than meets the eye. Peter blames himself when Father Mac has a heart attack, and he makes up for it by helping to keep the condition a secret from the parishioners. Assumpta starts a women's group because she feels that the women in the area aren't assertive enough. Kathleen takes particular offence, but Niamh seems to have got the hang of assertiveness without too much help. She offers to lend her father money to help him out of his financial problems, but there are strings attached.

A young woman arrives in BallyK hoping to find news of her family. Kathleen and Father Mac are particularly uncomfortable around her and Padraig thinks he might be the girl's father, but his suspicions are unfounded. Parenthood is also an issue for Siobhan who finds out she is pregnant. Brendan is the father, but she won't tell him until she's worked out what she's going to do. After much contemplation she decides to keep the baby and tells Brendan. Assumpta's and Leo's marriage continues to flounder: Leo feels isolated in BallyK. Any glamour he may have envisaged in running a pub has long since disappeared and Assumpta is keeping him at arms length. She feels they missed their chance the first time around, but Leo remains adamant - he's only ever loved her. He leaves town having told Peter that trying to make his marriage work is a waste of time because Assumpta's still interested in someone else.

The town catches lottery fever after it is announced that the winner bought the Lotto ticket in Kathleen's shop. The win is worth £6 million. Nobody knows who it is and the normally calm community begin to suspect each other. Ambrose's latest mission is an undercover job in Cildargan. It's a dangerous task and Niamh's worries are entirely justified. Peter is visiting his dying mother in Manchester and Father Mac's superiors are desperate for him to find the lottery winner so that the church can benefit from the win, a suggestion which appals him. In fact, the whole town has become engulfed in greed and jealousy. It is finally revealed that the winner was a tourist. Siobhan and Brendan begin to come to terms with their new relationship.

Assumpta returns from talking to Leo in Dublin and is upset to discover that Peter's mother is dying and he is visiting her in England. Brian finally has some money and starts up his new business - paint balling weekends designed to motivate businessmen. The teams end up rampaging all over the village and one ends up being shot by Eamonn for trespassing on his land. Siobhan and Brendan's news finally becomes public when she can't treat Eamonn's sheep because it's a risk to the baby. Peter's mother has died and Dr Ryan asks Assumpta to 'phone him.

Peter returns to BallyK with a lot of things on his mind. Ambrose catches him, and most of the regulars, at Fitzgerald's after hours, and all face charges. Assumpta's pleas that it was a private party fall on deaf ears. Assumpta and Peter are double-booked to baby-sit for Kieran, and it gives Peter the opportunity to tell her how he feels. She wants to know exactly what he wants, but it is clear that he still doesn't know himself. The pub regulars are let off the hook after it is revealed that they were only drinking cans bought from Kathleen's shop. Peter and Assumpta discuss their situation again, and Peter takes time to make his decision. A disparaging remark about Assumpta, made by Father Mac, helps Peter to make up his mind. He wants Assumpta, whatever it takes. They make plans for him to leave the priesthood and work at the pub. But tragedy strikes at the pub, that night. Assumpta has been having problems with the fuse box and she is electrocuted as the lights fail again. Father

Peter says a final goodbye to Assumpta and takes off on a long walk. Ambrose eventually finds him at the statue of the Blessed Virgin where he and Assumpta once met and talked. Ambrose is angry that Peter seems to think that he is the only one who is grieving. He went to school with her, and every person in BallyK had something to do with her upbringing. He takes Peter home where Father Mac, who wants to know whether Peter will be staying with the Church, confronts him. It's not something Peter wants to think about. A journalist is trying to dig up some dirt about Assumpta, but is blocked at every turn by her friends. Peter organises a wake on the hillside, and the next day he conducts Kieran's christening. Afterwards, he leaves the town without saying goodbye to anyone but Brendan. He takes one look back at the village and leaves in much the same way that he arrived.

Fitzgerald's is waiting for its new owner and there are plenty of prospective bidders: Brian wants Niamh to run it; but his main competition is Bella Mooney, who wants to turn the pub into an upmarket bar. Liam and Donal are put to work trying to sabotage the other bids, which they manage to quite successfully. . . with one exception. After a last minute change of heart the pub is sold to Brian. Sean Dillon returns to BallyK after twenty years, and his appearance reawakens some deep feelings in the locals. Meanwhile, a stranger awaits the arrival of her brother - the new priest, a former monk.

Father Aidan's alleged healing hands land him in trouble when it transpires that the woman he helped is making a fraudulent compensation claim for her injuries. He appeals to her conscience to get her to withdraw the claim. Niamh is disgusted when Brian changes the pub's name in an effort to appeal more to the tourists. She walks out and leaves him surrounded by irate customers. He makes allowances for her family life, which eventually brings her back, but Ambrose is not happy. Sean's compassion for an injured fox puts him in Eamonn's bad books, and Padraig is influenced by past events - Sean owns Padraig's family's land.

With the birth of Siobhan's baby approaching she starts to look at all her options for the big event, but Brendan is disturbed when she decides on a water birth. Sean's daughter, Emma, turns up unannounced. He had previously lied to her about where he was, and after an argument she takes Niamh's car. Later, she turns up at the pub and discovers she has something in common with Niamh. On the way back to Sean's farm they find that Siobhan has gone into labour. There isn't time to get her back to Sean, so they hijack Brian's hot tub and use it as a birthing pool. Aidan is proved to be wiser than Orla thought when it comes to money, and to Ambrose's amazement his boss approves of the family living over the pub. Meanwhile, Brian's dreams lead him to a golf course that he feels it is his destiny to buy.

Brian is still planning to buy the golf course, but he can't find the necessary funds without some help. Orla knows a man who might have the answer - Micky Keeler, a lotto winner who is blackballed every time he tries to join a club - thanks to his criminal record. Liam and Donal are employed to fix a round of golf between Micky and Brian. Brendan is hostile to the idea of Aisling's christening because he feels left out. Aidan's preparations for the event, his first ever christening, don't go as planned when he nearly drowns the doll he's practising on. Emma becomes increasingly annoyed by her new surroundings - no running water, no radio reception, and the shop doesn't stock smoky bacon crisps. A nephew of Eamonn's, Danny, turns up in need of shelter for an illegally stabled horse.

Donal becomes very secretive about the new woman in his life, Suzie. He's taking time off work and it's affecting his relationship with Liam. He has to keep her well fed or she may become violent - Suzie is a former circus bear that Donal saved from being put down. Siobhan isn't allowing Brendan much access to Aisling, but that changes when she is called out and leaves Brendan literally holding the baby. Suzie escapes and goes on a rampage through the village. Donal is determined she should be free, but when she is cornered in Fitzgerald's there is a danger she will be shot. But Aidan steps in with a simple answer that saves the day - a few words of Latin! Meanwhile, Kevin gets into trouble with his father when he helps Sean renovate an old motorbike.

Dr Ryan's winning streak in the local horse race is threatened by Razor, who belongs to Danny. He is betting on himself in order to raise the funds to stable Razor in Dublin. If he loses he'll sell Razor to pay back his loans. Brian is linking the race with a membership drive for the golf course, but his business partner has plenty of ideas about who should be eligible to join. He offers Dr Ryan life membership if he wins the race. Orla moves into the police house and immediately finds herself in the thick of the action when a drug dealer, whom Ambrose had previously arrested, starts to take revenge. Orla takes up Padraig's offer of a room, but it causes tensions between Padraig and Kevin. Danny is injured before the race, so Emma rides instead. She comes in second. Sean has been looking to buy Emma a horse for her birthday and Eamonn sells him Razor.