An Island Parish

Following a year in the life of the most southerly islands of the Outer Hebrides, off the north west coast of Scotland. One year into the job and local parish priest Father John Paul has to face up to controversial issues threatening the future of his island parish. Shepherd Ronald Mackinnon and the other crofters try every way to eke out a living from the island. And Father Roddy receives news which comes as a bit of a bombshell for him and the islanders.

Easter brings good weather and a new air of optimism to the remote island of Barra. Local crofter Angus John Morrison turns his hand to something new - tourism - which proves rather trickier than he anticipated. And Father John Paul is in danger of feeling more isolated than ever with the sudden departure of best friend and colleague, Father Roddy.

On Barra, it has not been a great start to the tourist season thanks to the nonstop rain - Sheila McIntosh, the island's only ice cream maker, prays for sunshine. Also, the biggest fishing competition of the year pits islander against islander for one of the coveted trophies and Father John Paul adjudicates.

Summertime on the Outer Hebrides and Father John Paul is struggling to cover all his churches on the beautiful, but sparsely populated, islands. He's looking forward to a helping hand from a Jesuit priest who plans to come over from the mainland. Meanwhile, one enterprising young member of Barra has come up with a novel and ambitious idea to bring the island's history and heritage back to life.

The summer season is in full swing, and Father John Paul sets off on an adventure to a remote local island with a very special history. The whole community is gripped with excitement as the big wedding day dawns, for which friends and relations have returned to the island from around the world. And it is harvest time for crofter Angus John - will all his hard work over the summer have paid off and produce enough feed for his precious cattle?

It is autumn and Father John Paul sets out on the arduous annual pilgrimage to Barra's highest point to polish up the island's iconic statue. Below, a heated public meeting is on the cards to argue over government plans for a huge and possibly job-threatening conservation area off the islands. Meantime Coppertop, one of the local fishermen, investigates a unique plan of his own to make money from the sea.