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Now, the three Catholic priests from Northern Ireland are about to embark on their first North American Concert tour, which will bring them to metro Detroit on Nov. 17.
The three priests have each been singing for decades — individually, as duos, with each other, or in other groups or productions — but they went from being three Irish priests who could sing to become The Priests, with a global reputation, within just the past three years.
It was in 2008 that a scout for Epic Records set out in search of an Irish priest who was also a fine Irish tenor, He had heard about Fr. Martin O’Hagan and wanted to audition him, but also wanted to audition other candidates.
Fr. O’Hagan invited his brother, Eugene, who is also a priest, and a lifelong friend, Fr. David Delargy to be there for the audition. When the recording company representative heard all three of them, he got the idea for The Priests.
Since then, their fast rise to fame has been “quite a rollercoaster ride,” says Fr. O’Hagan. Their first CD sold so well it has earned them a place in the Guinness Book of Records for the fastest-selling classical debut of all time.
Fr. O’Hagan spoke to The Michigan Catholic Oct. 21 by telephone from his home town of Derry.
They will follow up their Nov. 13 to Dec. 4 tour of U.S. and Canadian cities with a trip to Assisi to record a Christmas special for Italian television.
But even though they have become international celebrities, all three are still full-time parish priests who must use their vacation time and other days off in order to make their public appearances, Fr. O’Hagan says.
Fr. O’Hagan is pastor of St. Patrick Parish, Newton Ards and Comber; his older brother is pastor of Sacred Heart, Bally Clare, and chancellor of the Diocese of Down and Connor; and Fr. Delargy is pastor of St. Joseph, Hanahstown.
“Thank God, our colleagues are very supportive about filling in for us,” Fr. O’Hagan says.
Those who attend the concert can expect to hear some classical sacred pieces by composers such as Vivaldi and Mendelssohn, Irish favorites such as “O Danny Boy” and others, Italian favorites such as “Santa Lucia” and “Fanniculi, Fannicula,” some Gilbert & Sullivan, Rogers & Hammerstein’s “You’ll Never Walk Alone,” Stephen Sondheim’s “Send in the Clowns,” Rolf Lovland and Brendan Graham’s “You Raise Me Up” and even a piece the three singers wrote themselves.
Fr. O’Hagan acknowledges that The Priests’ singing is part hobby, but says there is also an aspect of ministry to it. “We try to give a message of hope, a reassuring message,” he says.
Their sacred songs offer the hope that is Christ, but even the secular songs have a positive effect on audiences, Fr. O’Hagan continues: “People have reacted to our concerts, telling us they found them joyful and uplifting.”
Turning to the state of the Church throughout Ireland, Fr. O’Hagan says the revelations of the extent of the abuse crisis have brought “a great deal of hurt, a sense of disappointment, and morale has not been good.”
“We have to acknowledge that what has happened is wrong, and the Church has done that and reached out to the victims,” he says.
“But we also have to look ahead with a sense of hope,” Fr. O’Hagan continues.
Saying that his diocese has seen an increase in seminarians studying for the priesthood, he adds, “I’ve talked with some of these young men, and they tell me they see themselves as part of the solution.”
