Father Dougal McGuire to television, casting O'Hanlon as the on-screen Dougal. Arthur Mathews created the character of Father Ted while working at "Hot Press" in 1987–89. During production weekends, he and Paul Woodfull had the idea for The Joshua Trio, a comedic U2 tribute band. The band performed various warm-up sketches written by Mathews, Woodfull, and Graham Linehan, who joined in a non-musical capacity. These sketches included stand-up performed by Mathews in-character as Father Ted Crilly. As Ted, Mathews sometimes read from a book, "Notes from Africa", purportedly written by Father Dougal McGuire, a missionary friend who described his experiences of being attacked
The Mainland (Father Ted) their fees of £200, or they would have to stay in jail overnight. Ted is initially ready to let them stay, but mis-interpretes Dougal's sign that his trousers' zipper was undone as directing him to the winnings he collected earlier, and Ted pays for their release. They return to Craggy Island, with Ted announcing they will never go to the mainland again. Sometime later, Wilson is bike-riding across Craggy Island, and gets lost. He goes to the parish house to get directions, and when Ted answers the door, he utters "I don't believe it!" The Mainland (Father Ted) "The Mainland"