Chapter 16: Peter Clifford's Journal

by Jen Jolley

Epilogue
 
A story never finishes. People die, babies are born, and others move on to new situations, but life goes on. Slowly changes must happen; and so it is with the Ballykissangel folk. After a year of publishing Peter Clifford’s diary, we must leave him to get on with his life. Only time will tell if he ever returns to England to live permanently, or where life takes him as he tries to serve God and fulfill his destiny. Here follows a brief summary of how Peter, his family and friends fare over the next few years following his trip back to the UK and Ireland.
 
Peter and Alison returned to Australia where soon afterwards Alison found that she was pregnant again. She gave birth to a baby son in the following June, and they named him Timothy James. They never found out if Stephanie was Assumpta. She continues to be a very determined young lady, and Peter and Alison have their hands full with her. In contrast, Timmy is a very placid and easy going baby, much to his parent's relief.
 
When Stephanie started to speak, she never gave any information that either supported or disproved the possibility that she was Assumpta. She is very much her own person, and Peter and Alison prefer to keep it that way.
 
Vincent was sorry to see Peter leave BallyK, because he felt Peter was someone he could easily talk to. They’ve kept in contact ever since Peter’s visit, and when in 2001, Vincent returned to Australia to visit his sick mother, he came to Canberra for a few days, staying with Peter and Alison. He caught up with Rick; and Peter enjoyed listening to the two priests reminiscing about their experiences while at the seminary. Peter learned that life in an Australian seminary is not as strict as it was in the UK where he trained.
 
Vincent became aware of the advantages of email, so he bought himself a computer, and connected to the internet. Peter and he discussed organising a regular email exchange between the students of the Ballykissangel National School, and St. Jude's parish school. This was organised through Rick and Brendan.
 
Brendan and Siobhan settled happily into their new, larger home. There was now more room for Siobhan to keep any wild animals that needed to be nursed back to health, and for Aisling to have a small pony that Avril found for her.
 
Brendan especially, had worried that with he and Siobhan not being married, when Aisling started school that she might be teased and even ostracised by the school bullies. However, these concerns were unfounded. With her parents now married this was never a problem. In fact Aisling grew up being quite an assertive and mature little girl. Spending so much of her time with adults, she is exceptionally independent, and able to happily occupy herself for long periods of time. She's become quite articulate and as she grows up she won't let people walk all over her. She's not the type of child who'd accept bullying, having the confidence to stand up to other children, even those who are older than her. At school she wins a number of friends by standing up for them when they are being bullied.
 
A highly intelligent child, Aisling keeps both Brendan and Siobhan on their toes, as they try to provide new and interesting activities to occupy her. With time she becomes an expert internet surfer at a very early age, soon teaching her parents (especially her mother), a lot about the intricacies of the facility. Her parents constantly worry that she might enter sites that are not suitable for her.
 
After Vincent returns to BallyK from Australia, he tells Brendan and Siobhan about his time with Peter and Alison. This inspires them to plan a journey to this colonial outpost too. They accept Peter's open invitation, and organise it so that they miss some of the cold Irish winter. Instead they enjoy some of the hot Australian summer, including a Christmas Day spent on the beach.
 
Avril and Edso become an item for a while, but it only lasts for a few months. At about the same time as Edso starts to yearn for his freedom, Avril meets a new teacher who's been appointed to the Ballykissangel National School. This man turns out to be the man of her dreams. They share a love of horses, and he is very supportive of her alcohol problems. So it isn't long before they marry and settle down permanently in BallyK.  Edso continues to play the field for quite a while yet, and everyone accepts that he just isn't the marrying type.
 
After another winter in BallyK, Frankie realises that she wants more out of life than this small village offers. So she applies for a
transfer to a larger town, and in March 2001, she's transferred to a town in Cork. Here she meets "Mr. Right", and she soon marries and settles down happily ever after.
 
Fr. Mac continues to spar with Vincent. He managed to convince the bishop and then the local government to sponsor a Youth
Drop-In Centre in Cilldargen. Once it was up and running, Fr. Mac decided to slow down. He retires from the responsibility of being the parish priest, handing that onto a younger man. He continues to live in Cilldargen and enjoys the relaxation gardening gives him. He still helps the younger priests by filling in when he's needed.
 
Sean and Niamh returned to London, and Niamh gave birth to a little girl in February. They named her Ciara Assumpta after Niamh's mother and of course Assumpta. Kieran is thrilled with his little sister. Niamh keeps in contact with Brian via email. He now lives permanently in Brazil under an assumed name. Niamh also keeps in contact with Peter in Australia, and she too hopes to visit them there some day, maybe going via Brazil on the way.
 
Liam and Donal end up owning Brian Quigley's truck jointly, but the rest of their money gradually disappears through miscalculations in making quotes for repair jobs, and other work. At the time of writing, neither of them are any more successful at finding a mate than they are in making money from their work.
 
Michael Ryan continued to work alone in his medical practice for only a few months more; then he decided to take on a young
female assistant. This makes life a little easier, but after a year he decides it's time to retire. He sells his practice to his young assistant, and retires to the coast.
 
Stephen and Tammy marry in the following year. They pick a time that allows Peter and Ali fly back to England with Stephanie for the happy occasion. They don't stay for long, having left John and Phyllis in charge of their three foster children.
 
The Dooleys are able to stay on in Fitzgerald's. They never quite make enough to buy it. Vincent sorted out the paperwork so that the pub is owned by the BallyK community, by forming a co-operative. It's run by a management committee elected from the BallyK citizens. Any profits after payment of the curate's house loan and regular maintenance and upgrading of the facilities, is ploughed back into the community. One thing that is written into the lease is that its name must never be changed.
 
In Australia, Shaun and Vanessa married in January as planned. They accept a position working with CARITAS in East Timor.  Their main role is to help set up new church-run schools, with each school linked to a number of Australian parish schools, which have pledged to help them by sponsorship and prayer. St. Jude's Parish and St. Catherine's College, both are linked to the same Girls Secondary School in the capital of Dili.
 
Lisa and Rachel returned from England in the January, after their year in England. They both commence their University degrees in the March, and share a flat with two other students.
 
Jason continues to improve academically, finishing his secondary schooling with a score that's high enough for him to be accepted into the Australian Defence Force Academy. He chooses to do a Science degree while doing the officer training. His aim is to enter the intelligence branch, once he finishes his training.
 
Damian completed his year well after returning from his European holiday. He continues to be happy with his own company. His school reports indicate that he continues to do his best, and he achieves satisfactory results. His aim is to do a diploma in Natural Resource Management when he finishes his secondary schooling, then apply to work with one of the state or territory National Parks Services as a Park Ranger.
 
Jane happily breezes through all her classes. She particularly enjoys the crafts and working with fabrics. As this is being written, her aim is to find a career where she can use these talents.
 
Rick is still happy leading his flock at St. Jude's, and taking a supervisory role regarding the Youth Centre. Although he has fairly liberal views, he has the knack of never going too far and upsetting the church hierarchy. He was thrilled to catch up with Vince, and they too now remain in contact through email.