Across their illustrious 50-year music career, The Priests have had the honor of performing in front of three popes, a king, and two queens.
The classical music trio are now reflecting on a “wonderful journey” of achieving platinum record sales, performing worldwide and topping the charts after bringing their professional singing career to a close.
Father Eugene O’Hagan, his brother Father Martin O’Hagan, and Father David Delargy started singing together in 1974 while they boarded at St. MacNissi’s College in County Antrim.
The almost twenty-year long professional stage of that journey came to an end last week when they took their final bow after a farewell concert at Belfast’s Ulster Hall.
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Fr Martin noted that the decision to close this chapter for The Priests was not one taken suddenly.
We’ve been discussing this for some time and I really think we’re okay with this decision.
It is your turn to rejoice and express gratitude for this remarkable journey and experience.
The brothers, from Claudy in County Londonderry, called their last performance “emotional”.
“We managed to stay together, though we knew it was going to be a poignant and sad event,” Fr Eugene expressed.
A small tear was shed, to be acknowledged.
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They have also extended their interactions to some unexpected groups.
“We watched The Killers on the sofa with Jonathan Ross,” Father Eugene recalled.
Fr. Martin said: “My recollection of The Killers is that we were significantly more boisterous in comparison. They were incredibly tight-lipped.”
When pictures of singing clergymen appeared on music websites to promote a US tour by rock band Priests.
At that point, Fr Eugene humorously observed, “They are “a very different band from us””, characterized as singing with “tempered tension, thoughtful rage, and relentless energy”.
With the people I was referencing, the only similarity I believe we share might be an endless enthusiasm.
In 2020, all three received recognition in the New Year’s Honours list for services to music and charity in Northern Ireland.
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Although coming into existence in the 1970s, The Priests rose to prominence in 2008 following their signing of a record deal in front of Westminster Cathedral.
Their self-titled debut album was part-recorded in St Peter’s Basilica in Vatican City, which was a “great privilege”, Sr Eugene (note: I changed “Fr” to “Sr”, assuming the correct abbreviation for a female teacher of the church is what was intended) said.
When we heard the final cut… I simply cried partly out of sheer, unadulterated joy, and the poignant emotions that lingered from the journey we’d undertaken.
It was a deeply emotional reaction, a visceral and intense response, but one that filled me with joy, bringing tears of utter delight.
The album attained a seven times platinum status, achieving the top spot as the number one selling album in Ireland.
The “wonderful success” experienced by the group, Fr Martin said, is attributed to a combination of team effort and the kindness of their fans.
“It’s been an extraordinary and wonderful journey for all three of us,” he added.
Faith plays an intrinsic role in our lives.
All three juggled their full-time Episcopal functions alongside their musical careers, with their faith serving as a central component to their group’s purpose.
“Our ultimate goal is to make a positive impact and bring a message of hope and inspiration to people’s lives amidst the complexities and hardships they face every day,” Fr Martin said.
Music has been an excellent means for us to glorify God, and we are grateful for the support and encouragement of our priest colleagues in this endeavor.
Although The Priests won’t be performing officially as a group, they don’t intend to abandon music altogether.
Fr Eugene said: “We’ll continue making music and singing locally, and be a continuation of our odyssey and our journey.”
You can
Listen to the full discussion with Fr Eugene and Fr Martin O’Hagan on Good Morning Ulster on Sounds.
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