The Priests
| Company type | Classical music ensemble |
|---|---|
| Industry | Music |
| Founded | 2008 |
| Headquarters | Northern Ireland , United Kingdom |
| Products | Classical and holiday music albums |
| Website | www |
The Priests constitute a classical music ensemble formed by three Roman Catholic clergymen from the Diocese of Down and Connor in Northern Ireland.
Background and early career
Originating from Northern Ireland, Fr. Eugene and Fr. Martin O'Hagan—brothers hailing from Claudy, County Londonderry—currently live in Derry. Fr. David Delargy comes from Ballymena, County Antrim. Their collaboration began in the 1970s while they were students at St MacNissi's College, Garron Tower, County Antrim. After securing a deal with SonyBMG in April 2008, they produced their first album, The Priests, recording sessions across Northern Ireland and Rome, including notable work at St. Peter's Basilica within the Vatican.
2008: The Priests
The group's debut album, sharing their name, was launched in Ireland on 14 November 2008 through Epic Records and later released in over thirty countries internationally. The album's promotion included an ITV documentary and a PBS special broadcast in the United States. In December 2008, The Priests earned a Guinness World Record for the "Fastest-selling UK debut for a classical act." The album attained sevenfold Platinum certification in Ireland, Platinum status in the UK, Sweden, and Norway, as well as Gold recognition in New Zealand, Canada, and Spain. Their agreement with the label allows them to continue fulfilling their ministerial responsibilities within the Diocese of Down & Connor alongside their musical pursuits. By March 2009, reported sales had surpassed one million copies solely in Ireland.
2009–2010: Harmony and Noel
In August 2009, the group commenced recording their sophomore album, Harmony, collaborating once again with their original production team. Released in November 2009, it achieved Platinum certification in both Ireland and Sweden and reached the top position on Sweden’s charts just before Christmas.
They conducted a successful tour across the UK and Ireland, concluding with a homecoming performance at Belfast’s Waterfront Hall. Their schedule also featured two concerts at Derry’s Millennium Forum timed alongside the release of the Saville Report on Bloody Sunday—a pivotal event for the city and influential for their path forward.
Their initial Christmas-themed album, Noel, was unveiled on 2 November 2010. It entered the US Top Classical Albums Chart at No. 3 and ranked No. 18 on the Top Christian Albums Chart. In Canada, it attained No. 100 on the general Albums Chart and No. 8 on the Classical Albums Chart.
November 2010 saw the publication of their autobiography titled Soul Song: Reflections on an Unexpected Journey, followed by a paperback edition released in April 2012.
2011–2018: Then Sings My Soul and Alleluia
April 2012 marked the release of Then Sings My Soul – The Best of the Priests, which included one new track named "Danny Boy". Subsequently, they toured extensively across Europe, Canada, and the United States.
In early 2015, The Priests renewed their contract with Sony Music. Their album Alleluia was recorded thereafter and officially released on 7 October 2016.
Members
- Fr Eugene O'Hagan holds the position of Vicar General within the Roman Catholic Diocese of Down and Connor.
- Fr Martin O'Hagan serves as Parish Priest for Newtownards and Comber, responsible for The Church of St. Patrick (Newtownards) and The Church of Our Lady of the Visitation (Comber).
- Fr David Delargy is Parish Priest for the Lough Shore Parishes encompassing Whitehouse, Greencastle, and St James.
In recognition of their contributions to music and charitable efforts in Northern Ireland, all three were honored as Members of the Order of the British Empire (MBE) during the 2020 New Year Honours.
Studio albums
| Year | Album Title | Chart Rankings | Certifications (Sales Levels) | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| IRE | AUS | NL | NZ | SWE | UK | FRA | SPA | BEL (FL) | US | |||
| 2008 | The Priests
|
1 | 6 | 2 | 2 | 3 | 5 | 10 | 7 | 7 | 66 |
|
| 2009 | Harmony
|
7 | 35 | 58 | 3 | 1 | 18 | 98 | 57 | 17 | - |
|
| 2016 | Alleluia
|
— | ||||||||||
Note: "—" indicates the album did not enter the charts.
Holiday albums
| Year | Album Title | Chart Rankings | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| IRE | NL | FIN | NZ | SWE | UK | FRA | BEL (FL) | ||
| 2010 | Noël
|
9 | 68 | 46 | 16 | 23 | 37 | 171 | 47 |
Cappella Caeciliana
The Priests are founding members of the Belfast-based choir Cappella Caeciliana, with which they have produced four albums:
- 2001 – Cantate Domino – Music of Celebration from Cappella Caeciliana
- 2005 – Sing for the Morning's Joy
- 2008 – O Quam Gloriosum
- 2014 – Reflecting Light
Additionally, they performed the seven-minute composition "Ut omnes unum sint" by James MacMillan on the choir's 2018 release titled UNITY May they all be one, conducted by MacMillan himself.