Father Ted Crilly stationed in a Wexford parish, where he was investigated under suspicion of stealing a child's Lourdes money to fund his own trip to Las Vegas. Though escaping formal charges, Ted was still punished by Bishop Brennan, who sent him to the inhospitable Craggy Island until all the money was accounted for. Ted was unsuccessful in this regard, as in the first series he mentions having lived on the island for over six years. For the duration of the show, Ted lives in the Craggy Island Parochial House with the childlike Father Dougal McGuire; the senile, aggressive and alcoholic Father Jack
Father Dougal McGuire and very, very strange. I saw Dougal as very doglike, very puppyish and lovable, and really loyal to Ted." After the first episode aired, Ben Thompson of "The Independent" singled out O'Hanlon as "the real star of the show", and said that Dougal's "holy-fool innocence" as "worthy of James Stewart". Writing for the "Irish Examiner", Ed Power said that while the "meme-worthy" Dougal and Jack received the most attention at the time of broadcast, Morgan's straight-man performance was the highlight in retrospect. Morgan attributed the show's success to the appealing double-act formed by Dougal, "an idiot who knows nothing", and