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It is not for everybody most likely but as you can see at my rating it is for me. I never saw this originally when it came out but a re-run about 6 years or so ago. I really enjoyed the simple humor, the simple drama, the stories as a whole, the characters. It's nearly real life with a bit of a twist at times but you could imagine is to actually have taken place. It never left my mind so this year I bought the DVD's to watch it all again and, so far, not disappointing, it has not lost it's charm. You like action, hero's, spectacular drama, belly aching laughter, this is not for you. You like good humor that puts a smile on your face, a nice story line, things that could be happening next door (if you would live there), this is for you.

Now being re-run on ITV3, I am really enjoying BallyK all over again. For me, the acting of the whole ensemble cast is wonderful and particularly Stephen Tompkinson as Father Peter Clifford. His relationship with Assumpta is fascinating, even when I know what happened, because it shows them actually relating to each other as people and not in the roles that they play in the village. Peter goes beyond the traditional remit of the priest, while executing it faithfully, and his kindness and good judgement are an inspiration to all. He is an example of a really good man, although he has his own inner conflicts which are played convincingly. Most of all, I feel that all the characters in BallyK are friends who I want to visit - I feel as if I know them. It also hasn't dated too much and I think new viewers would enjoy it as much as those of us who remember it warmly from the first time around.

One of my favourite series. Ballykissangel is an example of how Ireland can produce quality family drama with wonderful characters and good writing against a picturesque backdrop of the Irish countryside.

Filmed at Avoca in Ireland it follows the characters in the fictional town of Ballykissangel, mainly the Catholic priest Father Peter Clifford. Hidden underneath the weekly episodes was the quietly growing attraction of Father Peter and Assumpta Fitzgerald (pub owner of Fitzgeralds)

The series had a slightly quirky edge to it and its humour helped make the series such a ratings winner. The show went for 6 seasons but the best episodes were the first 3 seasons. After the end of the first 3 the two main characters left and the the creator and writer, Kieran Prendiville, also handed over the reins to other writers. The show was never the same and lost some of its humour. Then Peter Hanley (Ambrose) left the show. Later on the series suffered more blows with actors, Birdy Sweeny (Eamonn) and Tony Doyle (Brian Quigley), dying in real life.

With falling ratings Season 6 saw Ballykissangel given some new life with the arrival of a more charismatic priest, Father Vincent Sheahan (played by Australian Robert Taylor) and the return of the original writer Kieran Prendiville. Despite Season 6 being more enjoyable, and showing more promise, it was decided to end the show after 58 episodes.

Personally I think it could have continued as long as Kieran Prendiville held its reins but it was not to be.

Ballykissangel will go down in television history as an example of how good an Irish production can be, which, at its best, was extremely likeable.

This is a great series. As you watch you get pulled into the lives of the various characters living in a small village. While there is a tendency to romanticize the rural life in many films (and in part here), there is a greater depth than the average show. There is much humor in this series and also much heat break. As much as the viewer yearns for things to go right in the characters lives, things tend to go wrong and the characters must deal with personal loss, death, divorce, and financial ruin. For a show billed as a comedy, it is more drama with an overlay of humor. I am being somewhat vague in this review because this is a series to be dipped into for episodes that are uplifting and heart warming but ultimately overshadowed by reality. If you watch it once you will find find that after the passage of a few years you are longing to revisit Ballykissangel and share in the lives of what almost become real people.

In 1998, I toured Ireland with a group of Aussies. We stopped in Avoca only because Ballykissangel was filmed there. All the Aussies were excited to see the church, the store, and Fitzgerald's just as seen on their BBC back home. I remembered the cute name for the town (Ballykissangel) when I joined Netflix. The characters are so well developed. No U.S. TV series is ever this good. Only when PBS shows a series of BBC programs is there any quality, and this has never been shown where I have been. The quirky people of BallyK just keep on coming. Some better than others, but each disc always leaves me wanting more. This show could have continued longer that six seasons with Kieran Prendiville back in the helm, but alas, it didn't. I will be sorry when I watch the last disc. Should it ever appear on PBS, I will become an avid watcher again. It is worth seeing again and looking forward to each episode. Ballykissangel wins my highest praise as quality storytelling.

I somehow started liking the series, the chemistry between priest and the pub owner was good, there was good humor, the family drama, the amateurity writings ,the smalltown character they were going good somehow. But they killed the main character immaturely, they killed the show at the end of the season 3. And I stopped watching it then.

I was never much of a U.K. TV series fan, until I stumbled across this show and "Doc Martin." These two shows now have me hooked. "Bally" reminds me of gentle Irish comedy movies like "Waking Ned Devine." And the nice thing, with "Bally" I have six years worth of episodes to watch. In my home state, Connecticut, we have a huge Irish American population and Connecticut Public Television airs "Bally" episodes at least once a week, which is how I became acquainted with the show. I have since watched a couple of episodes on youtube. I can't get enough of it! You can have "Dontown Abbey." Me, I'll stick with "Bally." I also watch occasional episodes of the various police dramas like "Inspector Morse" and "DCI Banks." But without guns and gun play, they tend t be very dull.

For some time now, I am following the TV-series "Ballykissangel". Why? Simply because it´s one of the few TV-series which is worth being watched: no unnecessary violence, no stupid, easy-to-see-through jokes, and a good storyline, combined with a set of good actors. I call this a real top british TV-product, and it´s a shame that the Dutch TV stations don´t show it on prime time! Ballykissangel is all about the life and complications of the people of a small irish village, where there has been assigned a new young catholic priest, which happens to be british. The main characters are the english priest, father Clifford, and the owner of a local pub, Assumpta, who gets sick from everything connected to the church. The fundamental differences of character of these two (Assumpta is verbally aggressive, sarcastic and sometimes even vicious, whereas Clifford is friendly, sweet, helpful, and unbelievably naive sometimes) result in a mutual love/hate relationship and neither of them knows what to do with it. Most episodes can be watched separately, however watching most of them gives you the best clue as to the development of the relationship of the main characters, or should I say, the non-development. However, it is very easy to identify yourself with one or more of the main characters. This, combined with the misunderstandings and tricks in every episode, makes it a joy to watch this series, time after time.

I suspect it's difficult to sustain a long story line without occasional lapses into soap-opera territory. The occasional agonized glances and cryptic dialogue remind me I should say, "Offer it up."

That said, the writers do a masterful job with the various roles. It's reminiscent of some of Peter DeVries, whose dotty Irish characters alternately delighted and irritated. I've watched three series, and it's remarkable how the actors vanish into their roles, unlike other bar-themed productions like Cheers. Frazier was a great character, but he was still Kelsey Grammer.

Sidenotes--If Gary Whelan (Brendan) isn't a reincarnated Joe McCarthy, I don't know who could be, and if If the late Niall Tobin as the pastor wasn't a priest, he should have been.

The ensemble simply shines from top to bottom. Deirdre Donnelly as the vet and Bosco Hogan as the town GP make you wish they were treating you or your pets, and Peter Caffrey as Padraig is the barfly you'd always buy a drink for.

I loved the characters in Ballykissangel. But it become noticeably different into the 5th season and DEFINITELY into the 6th season. It was though there were new writers who must have never seen the show and certainly didn't invest any talent into the show. Thank goodness the actors were great portraying characters well developed in the beginning. The actors seemed to always to do the best they could with what become obvious poor writing. There was a pronounced lack on continuity from episode to episode and even within an episode there was a poor flow of direction between scenes. All that aside, I still found the actors doing a great job to portray their character(s) the very best that they could with such poor writing and direction.

Never does a show have this much heart and chemistry between the actors. Great care was taken in the directing and writing. However, after series 3 was over, the budget was obviously increased. As a consequence, the depth and substance went down the toilet.

I would like to thank God (and Kieran Prendiville) for Father Vincent played by the Aussie actor (Rob Taylor) - he should call himself 'Rob' or 'Robbie' as there was another famous actor called Robert Taylor. How do we never get Priests like him !! His smile is just absolutely 'Captivating'. The programme is just Grand !!! The acting is superb, as is the scenery. I visited Ireland six times in a row and to me this portrayal is very accurate. I would be interested in Rob's views of playing the role of a Priest compared to his previous parts where he would have no bother at all attracting the ladies - unlike in this role where it is 'Taboo' (or is it ?) There is no info online whether Rob is married or not ... please advise.