Mia, a temperamental red head, is the illegitimate daughter of Mary O'Sullivan, who lives in a small Irish fishing village. The O'Sullivan family has had a feud with another fishing family, the Ryans, for decades now - which is why Mia and Johnny Ryan are forced to be very secretive about their love for one another. Unlike Mia who would be happy to admit her love, Johnny hasn't the courage to do so, since he is also engaged to be married to Donna. When Mia discovers that she is pregnant, Johnny is unexpectedly cool towards her and also jealous, because he suspects that the child's father was an Italian photographer who is in Ireland to take fashion photographs. Deeply hurt, Mia leaves Ireland for Italy, where she begins a successful career as a model and later gives birth to her son. Johnny, still convinced of Mia's infidelity, marries Donna.