Ray Kelly (singer) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids The Reverend Father Ray Kelly S.P.S. |
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Father Kelly singing at a charity event in Vienna on 2017
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| Church | Catholic Church |
| Personal details | |
| Birth name | Raymond Kelly |
| Born | 25 April 1953 Tyrrellspass, County Westmeath, Ireland |
| Denomination | Roman Catholic |
Raymond Kelly, also known as "The Singing Priest," is an Irish Catholic priest. He was born on April 25, 1953. He is famous for singing popular songs. Father Kelly is a member of Saint Patrick's Society for the Foreign Missions.
He became well-known because of a YouTube video. In the video, he sang at a wedding. He also appeared on TV shows like Britain's Got Talent and Dancing with the Stars. Father Kelly has a big family. He has sung at many of their weddings.
In May 2023, Father Kelly changed his role. He left his job as parish priest in Oldcastle, County Meath, Ireland. He became an Associate Pastor in Kilcormac, Rahan, and Eglish parishes in County Offaly, Ireland.
Contents
Early Life and Becoming a Priest
Raymond Kelly was born in Tyrrellspass, County Westmeath, Ireland. He was born on April 25, 1953. He started singing when he was a young boy. In 1989, he became a priest. This was the start of his special work helping people.
Music Career Highlights
Father Kelly became very famous in 2014. A video of him singing at a wedding went viral on YouTube. He sang "Hallelujah" by Leonard Cohen. A 10-year-old bridesmaid, Lucy Pitts O'Connor, changed the words for the wedding. By early 2024, the video had been watched over 90 million times!
In December 2014, Universal Music released Father Kelly's album. It was called Where I Belong. The album had 10 songs with Celtic-inspired music. He recorded the album in the summer of 2014. A special studio was set up in his house. This way, recording did not stop him from his duties as a priest. In December 2015, Father Kelly was a guest on the BBC Radio 4 show Midweek.
Television Appearances
In 2018, Father Kelly tried out for Britain's Got Talent. This was the 12th season of the show. He sang "Everybody Hurts" by R.E.M.. He made it to the live shows. However, he was eliminated in the fifth semifinal. He finished fourth in the public vote.
In 2020, he joined the Irish TV show Dancing with the Stars. This was the fourth season of the show. His dance partner was Kylee Vincent. They were eliminated from the competition on March 8, 2020.
Discography
Albums
- Where I Belong (2014)
- An Irish Christmas Blessing (2015)
