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FATHER RAY KELLY

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Father Ray Kelly, the Irish priest whose personalized rendition of Leonard Cohen's "Hallelujah" went viral last spring, will release his debut album, "Where I Belong," in the U.S. on March 10.
The album is already a hit with fans in Ireland, Germany, and the UK, and showcases the 61-year-old's soulful voice and passion for performing.

The 10-track project includes original and cover songs, Celtic classics, and church hymns recorded in Father Ray's home at St. Brigid's Catholic Church and parochial house in Oldcastle, Meath.
The first single from this album is “Together Forever (The Wedding Song)”, which is an original song on the album. The sentiment and feel of this song draws even further on the union of love and marriage and the official video for this will act as a continuation of what has already started on YouTube.

Born in Tyrrellspass, Co Meath in April 1953, Ray moved to Dublin and worked in the Civil Service.In 1982 he was called to the Priesthood and embarked on seven years of studies which culminated in him being ordained as a priest in 1989. He joined the St Patrick’s Missionary Society (Kiltegan Fathers) and worked as a Missionary in pre-Apartheid South Africa from 1991-1992 and did Mission Appeal work in the US. He went on to serve as an Army Chaplain in the US and Northern Ireland. He returned to Ireland and served as parish priest in Navan, Co Meath for 9 years.

Ray was appointed as Parish Priest in Oldcastle in 2006 and as one of his great loves was singing, he built a home studio in one of the rooms of his parish house to indulge his passion for his hobby. He was often asked to sing at local events, but never thought it would lead to anything, until he sang at the wedding of Chris and Leah O’Kane. However, Ray made it clear to everyone that he wasn't giving up his job as Parish Priest in the Co Meath town of Oldcastle. Indeed to record Ray’s album, his producers built a recording booth in the lounge of his house, so that he could attend to his Parish duties.