Episode 152 — The legend of Harry Ryan
As he prepares for his father's funeral, Alex is finding it difficult to compose a eulogy. What can he say in remembrance of a man who had so few redeeming characteristics? Alex is sickened by the way everyone is suddenly remembering the man as a saint. He refuses to be party to this hypocrisy.

A welcome distraction arrives in the form of a mysterious box Alex finds tucked away in the back of a shed. It contains two items — a boxing medallion in the name of Karl Weatherdon, and a boxing program. Alex becomes obsessed with the mystery of who Karl Weatherdon was and why Harry had secreted away his things. Solving this mystery also gives Alex an excuse to avoid dealing with the turf wars talking place on Killarney now that visiting Liz, Sandra and Fiona (the three Mrs Ryan's) are jockeying for status.

Alex drives to a distant town where a lead on the Weatherdon name, given to him by Moira, appears to be a dead end. The local real estate agent, Eric Weatherdon, denies all knowledge of Karl, but his son Mark, about the same age as Alex, reveals Karl was his uncle — and is a member of the family never talked about. All he knows is that Karl joined a boxing troupe as a teen and died after a fight. Alex is sickened to think that perhaps Harry was the other boxer in the ring. He then learns that there is no record of Karl's death, but again, Eric does not want to know.

Alex is surprised to receive an unexpected visit from Eric on the day of Harry's funeral, wanting confirmation that Karl is not dead. He notices Harry's photos at Killarney and declares them to be Karl — older, but his brother nevertheless. The full story is finally revealed. Karl was adopted by Eric's parents, who soon went on to have him and treated their adopted son less than well. Karl escaped home as soon as he could and Eric was told he'd died. However, he and Alex now realise the truth: that Harry reinvented himself entirely, taking a new name and going on to become the success he was. Alex is stunned to realise the Ryan name, the reputation and expectations it has always carried, were totally fabricated by Harry. Finally, the mystery of his father's psyche has been solved: the obsession with family, the preoccupation with what he would pass on to his sons, the intense drive to succeed. All borne of the fact that Harry came from nothing, and started out a nobody, a child no-one wanted. Alex is finally able to write an honest but moving eulogy; he won't sanctify Harry's memory, but at least he now understands the hopes and fears that made Harry who he was. Alex tells a still bitter Liz she must do the same if she wants to be part of her grandchildren's lives.

Stevie meanwhile is keeping her distance from Alex, harbouring a secret she eventually feels compelled to confess (after being counselled by Jodi); she had a big blow-up with Harry on the day he died, and fears that it might have prompted the heart attack that killed him.

Jodi also has to deal with the continuing friction between Kate and Regan, which is finally resolved when, in the course of solving the mystery of lead poisoning afflicting some livestock, Regan ends up saving Kate from Jodi's wrath, prompting Kate to develop a new respect for Regan.