In Catholic Parishes of Ireland



    Debut Album, Produced by Mike Hedges, Is Coming November 18th On RCA

Victor



    NEW YORK, July 21 /EMWNews/ -- A vocal trio of three Roman Catholic

priests from Ireland is on the brink of creating an international musical

sensation as The Priests.



    In an April ceremony on the steps of London's historic Westminster

Cathedral, the group -- comprised of two brothers, Father Eugene O' Hagan

and Father Martin O' Hagan, and Father David Delargy -- was signed by Sony

BMG (UK). Their Priests' debut album is set for US release on RCA Victor

Records on November 18, 2008.



    The Priests commenced recording May 23 in Dublin and will continue in

Belfast and The Vatican in Rome. Their album will include performances in

Latin, Spanish, German, Italian, and English of such enduring classics of

faith as "Ave Maria," "Panis Angelicus," "Abide With Me," and "O Holy

Night." The Priests are working with legendary producer Mike Hedges, well

known for his work with U2, The Cure, and -- in a foreshadowing of his

current assignment -- the Manic Street Preachers. The Priests will be

accompanied by the Vatican Choir on the recording, arranged and conducted

by Pablo Colino the Emeritus Director of Music at St. Peter's Basilica in

the Vatican, Rome. A major television special is in the works, as well as

an international launch event scheduled for September at St. Patrick's

Cathedral in Northern Ireland.



    The extraordinary combined talents of Father Eugene O' Hagan (48), his

brother, Father Martin O' Hagan (45), and Father David Delargy (44) first

were recognized while they attended Queen's University in Belfast and while

training for the priesthood at the Irish College in Rome. During the latter

period, the three singers were invited personally by the Papal Master of

Ceremonies, Monsignor Magee, to sing for the Pope in the sacred liturgy.



    Upon their return to Ireland, each of the Priests will continue to tend

to the spiritual needs of his parishioners and to the official duties of

his church. The Priests' global recording contract exempts each member from

undertaking any promotional or recording duties in the event, for instance,

of officiating at a wedding or christening of a parishioner. Additionally,

the trio has stipulated that a percentage of the proceeds from their record

sales will be donated to a charity of their choice.



    "We have been inundated with good wishes from our brother priests, from

parishioners, and from many friends in the music world," reports Father

Eugene O' Hagan in a blog entry at http://www.thepriests.com.



    "It was our intention to make a record for posterity...but imagine what

we felt like when Sony BMG popped up out of nowhere and expressed an

interest. Fantastic --- unbelievable!"