Entertainment

TedFest's annual celebration of Father Ted returns

Set on the fictional Craggy Island, Fr Ted, which starred Dermot Morgan as Father Ted Crilly, Ardal O'Hanlon as Fr Dougal McGuire, Frank Kelly as Fr Jack Hackett and Pauline McLynn as housekeeper Mrs Doyle, ran from 1995 and 1998
Set on the fictional Craggy Island, Fr Ted, which starred Dermot Morgan as Father Ted Crilly, Ardal O'Hanlon as Fr Dougal McGuire, Frank Kelly as Fr Jack Hackett and Pauline McLynn as housekeeper Mrs Doyle, ran from 1995 and 1998 Set on the fictional Craggy Island, Fr Ted, which starred Dermot Morgan as Father Ted Crilly, Ardal O'Hanlon as Fr Dougal McGuire, Frank Kelly as Fr Jack Hackett and Pauline McLynn as housekeeper Mrs Doyle, ran from 1995 and 1998
By David Roy

CAREFUL now: TedFest, the annual celebration of all things Father Ted, has announced its return for 2024.

The festival dedicated to the classic Channel 4 sitcom starring Dermot Morgan and Ardal O'Hanlon will return from Thursday March 7 to Sunday March 10 on Inis Mór in the Aran Islands, which will become the legendary Craggy Island once more.

Visitors are advised to expect "copious cups of tea and sandwiches, a lot of red tank-tops, nuns on the run, priests on the pull, map-cap costumes and, of course, a bishop getting a kick up the a***".

Picture by Gareth Chaney
Picture by Gareth Chaney Picture by Gareth Chaney

While the official itinerary for TedFest 2024 has yet to be announced, organizers have confirmed that all activities will take place at the Aran Islands hotel, with highlights to include "the annual Lovely Girls Competition, Ted's Got Talent, the Father Ted Prizeless Quiz, the priests' dance-off, the nuns in neon old grey whistle rave, the screaching competition in a very dark cave, the Craggy Cup, Blind Date, Best Dressed and lots more".

Read more:

  • Fr Ted: Hundreds heading to 'Craggy Island' for annual TedFest to celebrate classic comedy  
Picture by Gareth Chaney
Picture by Gareth Chaney Picture by Gareth Chaney

Original cast members from the series have attended previous TedFests, including Joe Rooney (Fr Damo) who has regularly refereed the Craggy Cup, while Patrick McDonnell (AKA Eoin McLove) has hosted Blind Date.  

Graham Courage pictured with Joe Rooney who played Fr Damo in hit show Father Ted and Kevin O Brien as one of Ted's nightmare peanuts at TedFest. Picture by Matt Sills
Graham Courage pictured with Joe Rooney who played Fr Damo in hit show Father Ted and Kevin O Brien as one of Ted's nightmare peanuts at TedFest. Picture by Matt Sills Graham Courage pictured with Joe Rooney who played Fr Damo in hit show Father Ted and Kevin O Brien as one of Ted's nightmare peanuts at TedFest. Picture by Matt Sills

In recent years, the Inis Mór event has attracted people who dressed the part, including patrons who came as Father Jack's Underpants Hamper, Ireland's Largest Lingerie Department, The Flight into Terror,  Tom's Scania Truck, the feckin' Crunchies in the car, the various stages of Henry Sellers, plus an assortment of Mrs Doyles, Fr Jacks, Teds, Dougals, Pat Mustards and other favourites.

Picture by Gareth Chaney
Picture by Gareth Chaney Picture by Gareth Chaney

Tickets for TedFest 2024 are now on sale at tedfest.org, and organisers are encouraging the 17 million repentant brethren who have never managed to tick TedFest off their bucket list not to miss out, as tickets are limited to the amount of accommodation available on the island.

Picture by Gareth Chaney
Picture by Gareth Chaney Picture by Gareth Chaney