Hallelujah for singing priest as he takes new-found fame in his stride

A Meath priest who has become an internet sensation overnight has taken his new-found fame in his stride.

Known locally as the singing priest, Fr Ray Kelly’s version of the Leonard Cohen hit Hallelujah performed at a local wedding clocked up almost 2.5m hits on YouTube.

The Oldcastle parish priest brought newly-weds Leah and Chris O’Kane to tears after he surprised them from the altar with a personalised version of the song — containing their names — during the ceremony. After his rendition brought the shocked wedding guests to their feet for an ovation, he calmly returned to the pulpit to deliver the final prayer.