It's the early 90s, the first day of school and a terrible start for 16-year-old Erin as she wakes up to find her cousin Orla reading her diary. And Granda Joe announces there's a bomb on the bridge.
Everyone is really excited when Sister Michael announces the school trip to Paris. Back at the Quinn house Uncle Colm is visiting and the whole family are losing the will to live.
The girls are tense about a big exam and naturally jump at a dubious opportunity to get out of it, especially as it involves spending time with the beautiful Father Peter.
Erin is so excited that teenage Katya 'a child of Chernobyl' is coming to stay, but Katya is not exactly grateful to be in Derry. And there's developments in Granda Joe's love life.
It's the 12th July and the Quinn family are rushing to get out of Derry before the Orange Parades start. Aunt Sarah's tarot cards predict a disaster for this trip and, for once, she might be right.
Erin is over the moon when she becomes editor of the school magazine, Orla's obsessed by step aerobics, and Da Gerry is in trouble with Ma Mary. And there's romance for Aunt Sarah.