The world-famous classical trio The Priests, featuring Fathers Martin O’Hagan, Eugene O’Hagan and David Delargy, will perform at St. Michael's Church, Enniskillen on Sunday December 23 as part of their special 10th Anniversary 'Twelve Days of Christmas' tour. Just back from touring the US, Father David Delargy spoke to the Impartial Reporter about The Priests' upcoming concert in Enniskillen, performing for the Pope and the most unusual venues they have performed in. The Rotary Club of Enniskillen, by arrangement with Joe Gallagher Entertainments, will present this

special Christmas event.

Q: You are just back from touring with The Priests in the US, how was that?

A: It was a great experience, it was just a short tour, just shy of two and a half weeks and we fitted in 11 concerts in 11 different cities, travelling for the first 10 days between cities in a tour bus - all very rock and roll. We picked up a different band in each city and we got to visit a lot of venues, concert halls and theatres that we had visited on previous occasions so it was nice to run in to some familiar faces. It was very successful and very enjoyable.

Q: Who are your main musical influences?

A: When we were growing up, the people who were big names on the world stage at that time were the Three Tenors Plácido Domingo, José Carreras and Luciano Pavarotti. So they would have been our musical heroes if you like. That’s only from the classical world, we’ve listened to all sorts of music. We have very broad tastes in music from Bruce Springsteen to Tina Turner.

Q: What has been your biggest concert to date?

A: The biggest The Priests concert was in the Odyssey Arena and we had an audience of around 6,000 people come to see us. We have sung live in front of audiences as big as 85,000 for example in Croke Park during the Eucharistic Congress and at the visit of Pope Francis for the World Meeting of Families. We have experience of singing in front of large audiences even though maybe it wasn’t specifically a 'The Priests' concert.

Q: How does it feel to perform to such large audiences?

A: It’s very exciting, it’s one of those situations that you can’t quite believe that it’s actually happening, you can’t believe that you are there taking part in something of that size. You feel privileged, you feel daunted, nervous and excited - all of those things.

Q: What is the most unusual venue you have performed in?

A: We have performed in the Vatican that’s a pretty unusual venue I think. We’ve performed in Áras an Uachtaráin the Irish President’s residence, we’ve performed in Hillsborough for the Queen and Prince Phillip and we’ve sung in cabaret clubs, ruined abbeys and school platforms. We have also sang on a cruise ship in the Caribbean.

Q: What can audiences expect from your upcoming concert at St. Michael’s Church?

A: In the run up to Christmas people are getting in the Christmas mood so we are going to be singing a broad range of Christmas classics and favourites from the Christmas Carol tradition also the more relaxed secular Christmas songs like Silver Bells, White Christmas, O Holy Night for example, all those classical Christmas pieces. It’s going to be a lot of fun and a lot of chat and a bit of craic. It’ll be very light-hearted as well as hopefully entertaining and engaging with audience. There will be an opportunity for the audience to join in and sing along with us.

Q: Have you been to Fermanagh before?

A: Yes we have, during the G8 Summit there were a number of side events and we sang at St. Macartin’s Cathedral.

Arch Bishop Sentamu, he came over as the guest speaker for that event and we were invited to sing. This is going to be our first big proper concert in Enniskillen and we are looking forward to it very, very much.

Q: What are your Christmas plans?

A: Well we are all back in our parishes and we are going to be busy in our parishes between the concerts. I think maybe sometimes people might think that all we do is go around giving concerts but that’s really not the case, that’s the very least of what we do. We are really full time priests. Leading up to Christmas there will be all of those things that typically go on in a parish. I suppose Christmas Day I hope to go and join with my family in Ballymena, my sister and her family who live in Australia are coming home to join us. Hopefully Christmas Day and Boxing Day will be a really nice happy and relaxed family time and then I guess I’ll be back to the parish soon after that.

Q: Any last words?

A: We are very much looking forward to coming up to Enniskillen, to St. Michael’s. We’re really looking forward to our first big concert there.